


Rose Gold Deers

by bunswrites



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, i mean we all know where this is going right?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:33:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 95,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26710717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunswrites/pseuds/bunswrites
Summary: Hilda could hear whispers around the halls. She stitched together it was something about House Riegan and the Alliance.The story of Claude and Hilda from the beginning to the very end
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 51
Kudos: 68





	1. Great Tree Moon 1179

Hilda could hear whispers around the halls. She stitched together it was something about House Riegan and the Alliance. Until Holst told her what was going on, she had to rely on gossip.

“Oh thank you so much!” Hilda handed off her axe to one of the servant boys who stayed in the training area. It was all so easy. Just raise your voice a few notes higher, blink, smile, and praise. “I don’t know what I would do without you helping me. You’re the best!”

“It’s my pleasure Miss Hilda!” He was beaming even though he was about to clean and sharpen her axe. “If you have some free time I could show you how I upkeep the weapons.”

Another offer to teach her something she already knew how to do. Hilda just sighed to feign exhaustion. “Oh I would but you know that I’m just so busy!”

“O-of course! Please don’t let me hold you up for your next appointment!” The boy gave a quick bow before running off to take care of her axe.

Hilda smiled as she turned to leave the training grounds. Another day of weaseling her way out of work. All that was left was to do was spend the day however she wanted.

It didn’t take long for her to dance around those who asked about her wrist or her cough as she made her way to her room. The web of excuses wasn’t always easy to keep track of but it was worth it. As long as she kept on smiling and giving out praises.

* * *

Claude could hear whispers in the halls. Whenever he passed, the whispering stopped. It wasn’t hard to put together that they were about him. Express messengers had been sent out to tell the news and now they had returned. Claude crept in the hallway to listen in on his grandfather.

“All letters have been delivered to respective nobles. We expect the whole of the Leicester Alliance to know by the end of the week.”

“Thank you.” His grandfather’s voice cracked a little. “You may go now.”

Footsteps of the messengers shuffled out of the room. Claude finally peeked into the room to watch them leave. His grandfather was sitting at his desk looking over a few documents.

It would have to be another day for him to look at those documents. For now, the noble houses of the Alliance now knew of his existence and his grandfather had accepted him as a Riegan. Claude quietly slipped out of the hallway to get back to his room.

He sifted through his agenda for the next year. First would be the upcoming Roundtable meeting. Getting to learn everything about the Alliance and Fodlan in the next year would be a tremendous task. His dream was so far away. All he had to do was smile and keep his eyes open.

* * *

It was dinner before Hilda could finish making her accessories. She had to quickly come down as word spread that Holst was back from Fodlan’s Locket. Plates of food quickly landed in front of them and the servants quickly went to their posts. Her father sat at the head with her mother and Holst at his right and left side. Hilda watched as Holst unfolded a letter to read.

“I received this today by express messengers from House Riegan. I didn’t get a chance to read it yet.”

Their father nodded towards the letter. “Must be important.” He gestured for Holst to read the letter.

Holst nodded and cleared his throat. “A message to the nobles of the Leicester Alliance. I, Duke Riegan, announce important news. My grandson, Claude von Riegan, will become the next Duke and leader of the Alliance.”

Their father coughed into a napkin. “They found the legitimate heir to House Riegan? Was it not just a rumor that his grandson showed up unexpectedly?”

“I guess he really is the Duke’s grandson.” Holst quickly scanned the rest of the letter. “He’s calling for an emergency Roundtable meeting. I guess I’ll be going to Derdriu tomorrow.”

Hilda quickly tuned out from the conversation. His father and Holst began to talk about the politics of the Alliance. None of that was her concern. She wasn’t going to become head of the house anyways. She looked down at the roasted pheasant on the plate and began to eat.

A few bites later her attention snapped back into the conversation as her father called her. “Yes?”

“How is your training going?” She watched her father cut his pheasant.

“It’s going well. I was so exhausted after just an hour.” Truly incredible how she was able to finish her training with little dirt and sweat. The answer was enough to satisfy her father’s curiosity.

“I’m glad to hear. In a year you’ll be attending Garreg Mach Monestary’s Officers Academy. I want you to be in top shape and keep up with your peers.”

Holst grinned at her. “You’re going to love it! When I was there Balthus and I-”

He began the same stories she heard over and over. How he and Balthus were this unstoppable duo at the academy. Winning competitions, flirting with girls, and whatever else happened in the Golden Deer house.

Hilda just had to smile and let her brother revel in his academy days.

It really was just one more year before she would go there.


	2. Horsebow Moon 1179

By now all of Foldan had learned about the Alliance’s new leader and new heir to House Riegan. Half of the year had flown past him already. Claude had attended several Roundtable meetings, met all of the Alliance nobles, and learned more about Fodlan customs.

Claude watched servants rushing around to get the grand ballroom decorated. In about three days they were going to celebrate the Alliance’s founding. He reviewed Fodlan etiquette over and over in his mind. There were things he was bound to get wrong but those weren't going to be the reason for everyone looking at him.

One of the servant girls carrying a stack of plates brushed past him. She quickly glanced at him before looking down at the ground. Just a simple curtsy before going off in a hurry. As he made his way through the halls, more servants would pass by. Each keeping their eyes off of him until he was out of sight. Behind one of the walls he silently listened to them.

“Don’t get too close. We don’t know anything about him still.”

“It’s been half a year. You’d think we would know him better by now.”

“Keep your voices low. We need to finish our work for today.”

It was the same here as it was there. All the whispers and looks. Claude looked down at his hand, conjuring the crest of Riegan. This was all that he needed to get closer to his dream.

* * *

The Leicester Alliance Founding Day meant going to Derdriu and meeting all the other nobles. Hilda got to dress up in a fashionable outfit with the accessories she made. She even made Holst a little something to go with his suit. A little resin cast with the Goneril crest to wear. It matched with the one she pinned to her coat.

There was a speech they gave every year about how the Alliance was founded. Then a toast to the Alliance followed by a dinner. Major and minor noble houses sat together in a special arrangement. Once dinner was over, it was time for the real party.

Hilda broke off from Holst to wander around. She didn’t want to be around the flock that would form around him. A few people around her age were littered around the hall. She recognized a few faces but couldn’t quite remember all of their names. As she turned her attention towards a group by the snacks, a purple haired boy stepped in front of her.

“It is a pleasure to see you again Miss Goneril.” Lorenz took her right hand and bowed. “Has it really been a year since we last saw each other?”

His voice grated against her ears. It was deeper than last year but still annoying to hear. “Lorenz! It really has been a whole year hasn’t it?” All she had to do was put on the usual charm. High pitched voice with a smile. Hilda slightly bowed back with her right hand still being held up by him. She took her hand back from his grasp. “How have you been?” The question wasn’t a real question. From what she remembered, he loved to talk about himself.

The memory of him served her well. He went on about how he went to the Kingdom to some magic school but had to come back due to the Alliance being shaken up. Hilda occasionally said something to let him know she was listening and engaging. Peppering in some compliments to seal the deal. It didn’t take long for him to start complaining about the Alliance’s leadership.

“I don’t understand. I, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, am more than ready to take up leadership of the Alliance-”

Hilda almost yawned in front of him. If she didn’t bow out soon, she would fall asleep.

“Were they not considering your brother, Holst, to become the next Alliance leader?”

Now she was checked back in. “My brother?” Hilda tilted her head and gave a confused face. “I know they were talking about it but that doesn’t matter anymore.”

“He is far more qualified than,” Lorenz looked over to the left. Hilda followed his eyesight to land on a boy across the banquet hall. “That fraud who claims to be the heir of House Riegan.”

Hilda took a more careful look at the boy. This was her first time seeing him. The golden, sun kissed skin of his made him stand out. He stood out even more with the lack of people around him. She watched as a few nobles passed by to glance at him and lower their eyes. Even with being ignored, a smile sat on his face.

“I hear he will be attending the Officers Academy this coming year.” Lorenz clicked his tongue in disgust. “I was to be the leader of the Golden Deer house until he showed up.”

“Really?” She feigned the curiosity in her voice. Perhaps she could get Lorenz to talk about something with more juice. “I’m going next year too.”

Lorenz stopped looking at the Riegan boy to turn his attention back towards her. “How wonderful! That means we will be classmates in the Golden Deer house.”

Before Hilda could respond, she felt the presence of someone standing next to them. She and Lorenz turned to see the Riegan boy standing in front of them. His green eyes complimented his small smile.

He quickly bowed at the two of them. “I believe I haven’t met you two yet.” His voice was smooth. Hilda couldn’t help but watch the twinkle in his eyes. “It’s a pleasure to meet the Alliance’s nobility.”

Lorenz scoffed at him. “I cannot say the same to you.”

“Ouch.” The look of dejection was minimal. “Here I thought I could get to know my peers.”

Hilda smiled at him and gave a small bow. “I’m Hilda Valentine Goneril.”

“Claude von Riegan.” He returned the bow. No hand grabbing.

Lorenz rolled his eyes. “Lorenz Hellman Gloucester.” He didn’t give him anything. Just a glare. “If you’ll excuse me. I have other people I would like to talk with.” With that, he took off.

Claude sighed out loud as soon as Lorenz was out of earshot. “He’s a real snooty one.”

“Tell me about it.” Hilda felt like she could finally breathe. No more pretending to be interested in nobility and the Alliance. “So you’re the famous Claude von Riegan.” She couldn’t stop examining him. His brown hair looked messy but was styled in a way. A small braid fell on the right side of his face. There was a small hoop earring on his left earlobe. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Glad someone thinks it’s nice.” The smile on his face stayed in place. “So how is your evening Miss Goneril?”

His voice became more exaggerated. Almost like he was bored of the party and just wanted to do anything else. “Well my evening is going well. And soon it’ll be even better when we start dancing.”

“Huh dancing.” The easy smile shifted into a frown.

“What’s wrong with dancing?”

Claude chuckled a little. “I’m no good at dancing. I prefer to watch.”

“What? That’s no fun!” Hilda couldn’t imagine someone seriously thinking to just watch.

As if the musicians could hear their conversation, the current song began to fade out. The loud tapping from the conductor's baton hitting the music stand echoed in the noisy hall. The conductor lifted his arms and everyone in the room started pairing off.

Without another thought, she grabbed Claude’s hand and pulled him out towards the center of the floor. “Come on it’s not a party without dancing!”

Claude stumbled behind her as she brought them onto the floor. For a second he tried to wiggle his hand out of her grip, but she only tightened it. Giving a big smile as the music began to play. The calm look he had before was gone. Instead it was replaced with a slight panic as he fumbled with his hand placement.

Hilda giggled as she helped guide his right hand to sit on her back under her arm. She took hold of his left hand and held it up and out.

Their steps were much slower than the song and to everyone else. There were a lot of misplaced steps. She could feel him tripping over her feet. Hilda laughed as they slowly spun away from the other dancers. “You weren’t kidding about not being good at dancing.”

Claude’s face seemed to relax again at her remark. He gently stopped his steps and lifted his left arm up. “I would never tell a lie.”

Hilda slowly twirled under his arm, still laughing. She could feel her dress swishing around as she twirled.

Before she could come back to place her hand on his shoulder, Claude bowed still holding onto her hand. “I believe this is where I bow out.”

“Done already?” Hilda bowed back, still laughing under her breath.

“I’ll just practice more for the next ball.” Claude let go of her hand and gracefully made his way off of the dance floor.

Hilda didn’t have the chance to say goodbye. Another person had already walked up to her and extended his hand for the next dance.

The rest of the night was filled with dancing and eating sweets. Hilda looked around to see if Claude had found another dance partner. Instead she found him standing off at the edges of the hall. People still passed by him with quick glances.


	3. Lone Moon 1179

A gentle knocking came on the door. Claude looked up from the book he was reading to see the door already opening. No use having the door if they were going to open it. A servant boy bowed, keeping his eyes to the ground. “Duke Riegan wishes to speak with you.” As quickly as he showed up, he left.

Another meeting with his grandfather. With only a week left before his departure, Claude wondered why he was being summoned.

The walk to the office was normal now. Any servants who happened to cross paths would simply bow and move on. If there were any visitors they would at least say hello now.

It didn’t take long for him to step in front of the office. The door was wide open. Claude stepped in while knocking on the open door. His grandfather looked up from his work. “Come in.”

He was already doing that but it wasn’t an important detail. “Did you need to tell me something?” It was easier to just get to the point with him.

“Yes.” His grandfather stood up and grabbed a pendant that was sitting on his desk. “This was your uncle’s pendant. I want to pass it down to you.” He placed the pendant into Claude’s hand. “I also want to inform you that Duke Goneril and I have arranged a retainer for you at Garreg Mach.”

“A retainer?” This was news that surely had to be withheld until a week before he left.

“Garreg Mach this year will have the crown prince of Faerghus and the princess of the Adrestian Empire attending the Officers Academy. And you are the future leader of the Leicester Alliance. It’s important that you stay safe.”

Claude wasn’t going to mention all of the precautions he had already placed. Nor would he mention what he was packing to bring with him to the academy.

“Hilda Valentine Goneril will be your retainer bodyguard for the year.”

Hilda. The girl with pink hair flashed in his mind. As well as his embarrassing dance with her.

“Thank you grandfather.” Claude tucked the pendant away and bowed.

His grandfather smiled at him. “Now go finish packing. You will arrive at Garreg Mach early to settle in.”

Claude just nodded back. Turning on his heel, he left the office to make the walk back to his room. Some of the same servants he saw before hushed their whispers as he passed by. Still the same even after a year.

* * *

Hilda paced back and forth in front of her father. She couldn’t believe it. “Why did you tell them I could be his retainer?!” Another responsibility was shoved into her lap. “I can’t be his retainer!” For a brief moment the image of him standing by himself flashed in her mind.

Her father sighed and put a gloved hand on her head. Effectively stopping her from pacing back and forth. “Because I know my daughter is perfect for the job.”

“No way!” Hilda gently pushed his hand away. “I’m a delicate flower. I’m not strong enough to protect someone as important as Claude.” If she could just convince him to take back her new position. The plans she had made for the academy year did not involve responsibility.

Usually she was so good at getting him to give her what she wanted. This time he was standing his ground. “I know you’re perfect to take on the job. You’ve been keeping up with your training too. You’re strong like Holst.”

The words reverberated in her skull. “I’m not like Holst.” She really didn’t want him to put a standard onto her. The standard of the Goneril house being a warrior house.

There wasn’t much more she could say or do. Her father stayed firm with keeping her as Claude’s retainer.

As Hilda left, she found herself grumbling under her breath. The burden of responsibility was just thrown at her. The plans of doing nothing but having fun at the academy was just thrown away.

* * *

Claude had finished packing and the servants were loading up the horses and carts. No one seemed particularly sad that he was leaving. In fact, he caught glimpses of relief the more his stuff got packed up. He was going to meet with Hilda at the academy before meeting the other members of the Golden Deer house.

A servant came by notifying him that the horses were ready to go. Claude thanked them as he passed by. The servant only bowed and left. They were all still so cold even after a whole year.

For now, that didn’t matter. Getting to Garreg Mach was the important thing. His dream was one step closer.

* * *

One of the bishops greeted him upon arrival. It didn’t take long for his luggage to be unpacked by the servants in the church and carried off to his room. He watched as a boy with the same tan skin as him carried some of the luggage up the stairs. A mental note was made to learn about the boy.

It took some time, but everything was now scattered around his new room. Trunks and bags occupied every inch of the floor. He could start unpacking now, however it was far too much stuff. Claude looked to his bed only to see it covered with books. A nap was now out of the question.

“Thank you so much!” A high pitched voice rang in the hall. “I was having so much trouble trying to move everything.” Claude stepped out of his room to see the pink haired girl down the hall. “I don’t think I could have carried all my stuff up these stairs by myself.” He took a quick observation of Hilda leaning on her right leg, placing more of her weight onto it. “I must have twisted my ankle as I got off my horse.”

She was really putting on quite a show. Claude caught a glimpse to see the same boy who had helped him earlier was now helping her. “If your ankle hurts that much just go to Professor Manuela.”

“Thanks Cyril! You’ve really helped me out.”

So that was the boy’s name. Cyril just nodded, not really paying any attention. “Uh huh. Well that’s the last of your stuff. Bye.” Cyril dropped off the last bag and left.

Hilda sighed as she walked into her room. No longer keeping her weight on the right leg.

Claude made his way down the hall to meet Hilda. The doors were wide open as she sorted through her bags. He knocked against the open door before talking. “Did you bring your whole house with you?”

Hilda jumped a little. Her head whipped in the direction of his voice. For a second she looked upset but that feeling must have evaporated when she saw him. “Oh it’s you Claude.”

“It is me.” He took a closer look at her this time. The pink hair and eyes really made her stand out. “I see your ankle is doing better now.” His eyes glanced down to her left ankle. She was standing with some weight on it.

There was a slight panic in her eyes. “O-oh my ankle.” Her weight suddenly shifted back onto her right side. “You must have heard. I think I hurt it while moving some stuff.”

Claude was pretty sure she had told Cyril it was from getting off her horse. How far would she take this ruse? How much further could he push this? Claude gave a small smile back at her. “Wouldn’t it be better to go see Professor Manuela right now? Just like what Cyril said.”

The desperate look on her face vanished. In a flash, she changed her demeanor back to a helpless girl. “I should but that’s a far walk. It might make things worse for my ankle.”

She really wasn’t going to back down on her ‘hurt’ ankle. There was weird tugging at his chest. It’s been a while since he had a friendly conversation with someone. Let alone tease another person. “Oh you poor thing. Would you like me to escort you?” He dramatically bowed as he extended his arm. “Princess.”

With only opening one eye, Claude watched Hilda’s face scrunch into a frown. It was brief, disappearing to return to her frail, helpless look. Hilda hobbled to her bed and sat down. “I wouldn’t want to take time from your day. I’m sure you need to unpack as well.”

“You’re right. I do need to unpack.” There was a lot to unpack. Even if he did make a remark about Hilda bringing a lot, he had also brought an equal amount of stuff. “But I can’t just leave my retainer when she’s hurt. Who else will protect me from the danger lurking around Garreg Mach?”

There was a beat of silence before Hilda laughed. It was the same joyous laugh from the Alliance Founding Day ball. Claude felt oddly relieved to hear it again. “I’m sure Garreg Mach is very safe with all the knights around. I’m just a delicate flower. They would do a better job at protecting you than I ever could.”

Claude chuckled under his breath. “Oh my. A delicate flower like you has been burdened with such a difficult responsibility.” Despite not really wanting to help, he found himself kneeling on the ground and picking up a small box. “Perhaps if I help this delicate flower she can quickly recover and start doing her duties as my retainer.” He placed the box on her desk.

“Thanks Claude. You didn’t have to help me but I’m already starting to feel better with your offer.” The tone of her voice curled around his ears. It wasn’t hard to see what she was trying to do but her voice danced around his mind.

They spent a few hours setting up her room together. No one won this exchange. In the end they both ended up having to do something they didn’t want to do. Oddly enough, he hoped to do this again with Hilda.


	4. Great Tree Moon 1180

The Golden Deer house looked like a bunch of misfits being pushed into a puzzle that didn’t fit together. The Black Eagles were all nobles minus Dorothea who was the only commoner. The Blue Lions all had some connection to the prince and the nobility.

It didn’t help that people couldn’t stop whispering about the Golden Deer’s leader. Hilda walked around the monastery only to hear the whispers about the Riegan heir at every turn. From an heir that appeared out of thin air to a third of the house being commoners, the Golden Deer just didn’t fit in the same way.

“How could the heir to house Riegan be gone for so long?”

More whispering. Even when she was visibly near the group of gossipers, they talked without another glance at her.

“I hear that he’s not from Fodlan. That’s why he was gone.”

Hilda picked up the perfume she bought from the merchant and placed it inside her tiny purse. Perhaps they continued talking around her because she didn’t do her job.

“He’s also so weird.”

No. She was doing her job. The last week of the Lone Moon was spent exclusively with Claude. A conclusion was drawn that there just wasn’t anything dangerous at Garreg Mach after that first week. But she stuck by him because Holst insisted that the heir to House Riegan needed to be protected. His stories of Garreg Mach so far were a different experience from hers.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that.”

That week she spent was more playful than Holst’s first week. He was a brute with Balthus. Challenging and then being challenged by the people they beat in brawls. Hilda had the opposite problem. Just yesterday she sewed together a small mouse plush that conveniently found its way into the dining hall. They sat around with empty plates and tea cups just to watch the different reactions from staff and students.

“I bet he’s planning on doing something to the Alliance.”

Maybe that’s why she’s annoyed right now. She was having fun at Garreg Mach. This group of gossipers was bringing down her mood. Hilda took in a deep breath to help soothe the agitation. She quickly debated which route to take and settled on just leaving them be. Talking to them would be exhausting.

* * *

There were still whispers going around. Most of them were about him. It was the same here and there. Claude walked past a group of students by the dorms who had lowered their voices. They were of no concern. Others would actually look at him and talk to him. The little whispers became less important as his dream began to take life and spawn smaller goals.

Fodlan was rich with history and tales. The library held books filled with such historical tales that Claude found himself visiting the library almost daily. A goddess came down from the heavens to bless Seiros to win the War of Heroes alongside the Ten Elites. It was so ridiculous that he kept coming back to read more.

There were also records of nobility throughout Fodlan. Those were the first things he read. There was no need for him to stick out more by not knowing the noble families. Putting the faces of nobility together was made easy with how much Fodlan cherished their noble system. Even those who hated their nobility couldn’t escape from it. The system was more upsetting than anything.

Claude found his crest to be more of some weird blessing the more he read about the nobility. If he didn’t figure out the manifestation of his crest, there was no way he could be at Garreg Mach right now. He held his hand to take a look at his crest. The crescent moon glowed for a second before vanishing.

He continued to make his way to the classrooms as he heard the students voices grow behind him. Even if he knew none of that mattered, it didn’t lessen the annoyance.

“Oh good you’re here.” An elegant voice cut through his thoughts. Edelgard stood by one of the benches outside the classrooms. Dimitri stood next to her. “We were just discussing when you would show up.”

“My apologies princess.” He gave a dramatic bow. The scoff she let out was loud and clear. “I didn’t mean to make you wait.” The truth was he woke up late and didn’t bother to rush out of bed.

Dimitri shook his head. “Do not worry Claude. We were not waiting for long.” The words that came out from him were always so proper.

“So what’s the plan?” Compared to them, he was a slop. From their uniforms to their body language. He most definitely didn’t have to style his hair the way Edelgard and Dimitri did.

Edelgard didn’t waste another second to begin explaining the plan. They were going to go out this Saturday for some practice. A few of the knights and one of the professors would join them from a distance to ensure their safety. He wasn’t sure how she was able to get this idea approved but it was really happening.

His next goal sat in front of him like a grand meal. It was almost laughable at how easy it was.

* * *

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to go out? Classes are supposed to start soon. Why go out with Dimitri and Edelgard now?” Hilda inspected her nails. She grudgingly joined him in this training session after he rudely woke her up with the constant knocking on her door.

“It was Edelgard’s idea. Maybe it’ll be a fun bonding moment for us three lords. Plus, some of the knights will be joining us.” Claude shot an arrow at the dummies they had set up.

Hilda sighed and she finally picked up the axe that sat next to her. “It’s really just going to be the three of you? Edelgard’s not bringing Hubert?”

Claude shrugged. “I guess she wanted it to just be the three of us.”

“That’s weird.” Hilda walked over to the dummy he had shot at. “Hubert is always around Edelgard.” She slowly lifted the axe. In a second it came slashing down, tearing the dummy in half. “Even from a distance.”

Claude clapped for her effort in today’s training. He didn’t need to do that but she knew why he was. Hilda just smiled and bowed at the little applause she was receiving. She propped the axe onto her shoulder as she stepped away from the dummies.

“Are you saying you’re worried about me?” He took out another arrow from his sheath for the next dummy. “It’s true you won’t be able to come and guard me from harm's way.” This time he aimed for the head. The arrow flew across the training grounds and into the dummy.

Hilda rolled her eyes at what he said. “A delicate flower as myself would have trouble protecting you anyways.” She headed towards the dummy he shot at. “I’m sure Prince Dimitri will do the job for me on your outing.” With another slash the dummy’s head flew off. They both watched as it soared to the other end of the training grounds.

“Oh but of course. A delicate flower as yourself has no place on the battlefield.” By now that saying was used against her. Especially after the dummy’s head flew off from the swing of her axe.

The only thing she could do was to lean into it. “I know!” Hilda walked over and wiped off the lack of sweat from her forehead. “It truly is taking a toll on me having to protect you from the dangers of Garreg Mach.”

“Watch out Hilda. One of the cats might jump at me.” There was that stupid grin on his face.

She sighed while rolling her eyes. “Just make sure you come back in one piece. I don’t want to hear Duke Riegan asking me why his grandson got beat up outside of Garreg Mach.” This was being said with sincerity. She couldn’t handle a future where she was going to be punished for not doing her job.

Training finished up with all the dummies filled with arrows and cut in two. Hilda yawned and mentioned taking a nap after the strenuous work she put in. Claude agreed that she worked hard and deserved the nap. Poking at the fact it was only noon. It was a little annoying but she didn’t mind it.

* * *

Who knew the training would go south so quickly and be resolved just as fast. One moment he was running away from bandits and the next, two mercenaries saved them. Alois along with some knights now accompanied them.

The three of them stood together talking to the mercenary with dark teal hair. It didn’t take long for Edelgard to suddenly ask him to offer his services to the Empire. Now Dimitri was asking for his help. Claude quickly jumped in to stop them from recruiting him. The mercenary’s strength was what he needed for his dream.

They didn’t talk for much longer as Alois quickly gathered everyone together. They were heading back to the monastery with the Knights of Serios. It would be less than a day to get back. It was his chance to get to know the mercenary. The other two also saw the same opportunity as him.

* * *

Hilda thought her eyes would pop out of her head. Claude’s story when he got back was shocking. Not only had bandits attacked them but a mercenary saved them. She internally thanked the mercenary. If Claude got injured that meant she would have to take responsibility for not doing her responsibility.

The two walked to the Golden Deer classroom. They were all going to meet despite there being no class that day. Claude had a few books in hand as well as a small scroll. When the two arrived, they saw some of their classmates were already waiting in the classroom.

Claude wasted no time with today’s meeting. First he talked about the mercenary that saved them. Everyone seemed interested in the stranger who saved their house leader, even Lorenz. After that he unrolled the scroll he had revealing it to be a map. Explaining a little bit more of the story with it as a visual aide. Hilda half paid attention to what he said. She had already heard the story. If he talked about anything else, she would just ask him later.

* * *

All the students were gathered around the classrooms and dining hall. Claude could see Dimitri standing at the other end of the yard. Elegard had taken her spot in the dining hall. The three of them were getting ready to see the new professor. He knew the two also wanted the new professor to teach their class.

The new professor came walking out from the dining room. He looked around the yard before his eyes landed on Claude. With no hesitation, he made his way over to him.

“Well, well. Scored a teaching gig here, did ya? Talk about a great first impression. I guess that means I'd better introduce myself properly. I'm Claude von Riegan.” This was the moment. He needed to convince the new professor to join his class. “Have you met the folks from the Golden Deer House yet? Care to know more about anyone?”

His face was still so blank. “Yes I would. Tell me about yourself.”

Perfect. Everything was going well. Claude laughed a little. “Piqued your interest, have I? As luck would have it, I'm pretty curious about you as well.” He couldn’t come off as too desperate, but the feeling wouldn’t go away. “But what's life without a bit of mystery? Let's just spend the next year or so learning about each other, little by little.”

The new professor asked about all the students from the Golden Deer house. Claude explained each one as best as he could. Not with all the information he knew. It was important to leave behind just enough information to attract the new professor to his class.

After he had finished, he walked into the Golden Deer classroom. Claude could hear him talking to some of the students.

“Hey, are you that mercenary?” Hilda’s voice rang out more than the others. Not that she was louder, but the ring in her voice always stood out. “Everyone's been talking about you. I'm Hilda Valentine Goneril. And her name is…”

“M-Marianne von Edmund…” He could barely hear Marianne speaking.

“Are you joining the Knights of Seiros or something? Well, I look forward to seeing more of you!”

Only the house leaders knew about his new job at the academy. Claude could only hope that he would pick the Golden Deer. With him by his side, his dream could become real.

* * *

Claude and Hilda were hanging out by the dorms. Just a few days before the mock battle. Professor Manuela talked to them last week about the mock battle. Not much else except to keep on training under her guidance.

“Did you hear-” Claude was cut off as Professor Byleth approached them. His stoic face was impossible to read. “Hey Teach! I hear there's gonna be a mock battle between the Houses. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit concerned about facing an elite mercenary like you. Maybe take it easy on us, what do you say?” Claude gave a little wink.

The professor didn’t really respond. He just gave a slight nod.

He could see Hilda glance at him through the corner of his eye. “Oh, Professor! Have you adjusted to life at the academy yet?” Before he was given a chance to respond, Hilda continued. “Me, I'm still not used to it. I'm not one for all this studying and training.”

Professor Byleth just nodded again. He gave a small goodbye wave and took off. He jogged down the stairs and headed off to the other dorms.

“He’s a strange one.” Hilda sighed, lifting a finger to her cheek. “I can’t figure out if he was happy or mad.”

It was odd how comforting Hilda’s words were. Her train of thought wasn’t far away from his. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

They silently watched the professor talk to Leonie. He quickly moved to Bernadetta’s room then to Sylvain. The conversations must have been brief since he was already walking towards the greenhouse.

“Anyways,” Hilda broke the silence. “I was thinking about eating soon.”

“You’re going to have a meal all by yourself?” He looked over at her with one eyebrow raised.

Hilda swayed back and forth. “Did you want to join me?”

Claude lifted his hands up behind his head. It wasn’t his plan to eat with Hilda but the idea was enticing. “Perhaps I will. I hear that eating with friends helps with avoiding extra training.”

Hilda smiled and extended her arm out towards him. Claude didn’t really know what she was trying to do. He put his arms down and extended one out to her. She quickly grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and dragged him towards the courtyard. The pure delight in her smile said everything. They walked through the courtyard and into the dining room for a lavishly mediocre lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I chose male Byleth because I feel he needs some love
> 
> Yes, Byleth doesn't choose the Golden Deer house... ;D


	5. Harpstring Moon 1180

It was a little annoying that the professor led the Black Eagles to victory. Truthfully it wasn’t even that he led them to victory. He had dominated the battle field. As if he could see all of their moves before it happened. Claude rubbed his cheek at the thought of being smacked in the face by Edelgard. The taunt he gave about not scarring her face caused his face to meet the ground.

The sun had just finished rising over the monastery. Claude made his way from the dorms to the classrooms. He wanted to get there early today for a bit of planning. If professor Byleth was already this strong, he had a lot of work ahead of him. The Black Eagles were given a mission to deal with a bunch of bandits while the Golden Deers and Blue Lions were on a patrol mission.

As he entered the class, he spotted the pink haired girl standing by one of the desks. Did Hilda really get up earlier than him? As he got closer he saw some papers in her hand. “Huh? Are you actually reading, Hilda? I thought you hated studying.”

Hilda’s head perked up. She turned around with visible annoyance. “Oh, hush. It's just a letter from my brother. He sends them all the time.”

“Your brother, huh? Isn't he known as a great general of the Alliance? A true beacon of —”

He didn’t have a chance to finish before Hilda cut him off. “Don't even start. That's got nothing to do with me.” Her brows were furrowed together. This was probably the first time he had seen her react like this.

“Uh oh, better not let your brother hear you say that! ‘Twould break his fraternal heart!” The annoyance stayed on her face. “But all joking aside, it sounds like he really cares for you.”

The look on her face finally changed. Muscles relaxed as she quietly sighed. “You can say that again. He must be rather bored too, now that the situation in Almyra has settled down.”

There was a tug at his heart. Claude did his best to keep his face from changing. “Ah, the Almyrans. The "eastern menace," as they're often called. I did hear your brother had fought them a number of times. In fact, I hear he's even gone toe-to-toe with Nader, the great Almyran warrior.” It wasn’t something he wanted to say but it was necessary. Necessary in order to dig around her mind.

Hilda put her hand up to her face. “"Nader the Undefeated," was it? Just another grizzled old man, as far as I'm concerned.” She paused for a bit before continuing. “But my father was ecstatic when he heard my brother had defeated him. He paraded my brother all over our territory. What a pain that must have been for our people.”

“A pain? Any celebration is something to be enjoyed! Celebration puts smiles on faces faster than anything.” It was weird to say that since the celebration wasn’t particularly in his favor. Claude could actually remember that day clearly. “I'm sure even you at least congratulated him, right? A smile from you would surely mean the world to your brother.”

“Well, sure. Then he got all worked up and started saying things like, "I am the protector of Fódlan!"” Hilda went back to looking annoyed, but only a little.

“That's not far from the truth, you know. Why do you think the Almyrans have been so quiet lately? They're wary of your brother.” That was a partial truth. “If House Goneril of the border were a bunch of weaklings, the Almyrans would have invaded Fódlan a long time ago.”

“You talk about it as though you've spoken to the Almyrans yourself.”

For a second, he panicked. Did he say too much? He wasn’t ready to tell Hilda the truth. Hell, he wasn’t ready to tell anyone that truth yet. “Well, I am heir to the leading house of the Alliance. I'm privy to all kinds of information, whether I like it or not.”

“Hm.” Hilda put her hand up to her face again. Thinking for a second longer than he would like. “You act so nonchalant about your studies, but you know so much about politics and history. You're a hard guy to grasp, you know that, Claude?”

Claude sighed internally. She wasn’t thinking of what he had thought. For now, everything was under wraps. “Oh, I disagree. I'd let you grasp me any day. My hand, my heart, even my neck.” There was an odd look on Hilda’s face. One he hadn’t seen before. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. “But if you want to know all my secrets... you'll have to bare yours as well.”

Hilda opened her mouth to say something but was cut off. A familiar voice they mocked together was coming loudly from the courtyard. They turned to see Lorenz walking in with the rest of the Golden Deer behind him. “You know it is a noble’s duty to-”

It took no effort to tune out Lorenz’s words. It looked like the other Golden Deer were already ignoring him with Leonie actively rolling her eyes behind him. Professor Manuela came in a few minutes later. Another day of class began, another day for his dream to be built.

* * *

Hilda couldn’t stop replaying her conversation with Claude over and over. It happened a few days ago but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. From the way he talked about the Almyrans to the subtle changes in his face when she would mention Nader and his political knowledge. What really made her go crazy was what he said before they were cut off. “Grasp him? What is that supposed to mean?” She mumbled under her breath as she stepped into the library.

Not only did she have to wrestle with Claude’s words, someone asked her to clean the library. She was able to put it off for a few hours while she talked with Leonie in the fields. Then she had just gotten Lorenz to do her work during training. As she neared the pastries in the dining hall, the priest who asked her to clean the library found her. It was almost a perfect escape. Looking around, Hilda saw Marianne standing by a pile of books. Perfect.

“Why do I have to clean the library?” Hilda looked over to see if Marianne heard her. She was looking at the ground. ““It looks like you’re not busy.” I was quite busy sampling pastries, I’ll have you know!” More silence. “Who wants to sort books, anyway? They’re so bulky and heavy, it takes forever to lug them around!” Nothing. Maybe she had to address her. “Right, Marianne? You agree with me, right?”

Marianne finally looked up. Startled that Hilda even called her. “N-no, I don’t mind it.”

“Oh, you like cleaning, then? I will say, you look like someone who’d be good at it.” This was perfect. It worked like a charm.

“I, umm, well…”

Hilda didn’t wait for a proper response. “In that case, it’s all yours! I’d only slow you down, if I’m being honest. As I always say, “If you want something done right, let someone else do it themselves.””

“Um.” Marianne didn’t look too pleased. Then again, she never really did.

“Right, I’m off to run some errands. I’ll leave all this in your capable hands!” Hilda turned on her heel and left the library. Now she could go back to stuffing her face with pastries to try and push away Claude’s words.

* * *

How could her plan have gone so terribly wrong? Well she did get to eat pastries but when she went back to the library it was in a state worse than before. In the end, she had to clean up the entire library herself. Marianne just watched as she explained how to best organize the books. She stayed behind when everything was put back together. Hilda trudged back to the dorms. Why wasn’t there a way to the dorms from the second floor?

“Oh hey Hilda.”

That voice. That stupid carefree voice that invaded her mind for days. Hilda looked up to see Claude standing in front of her. “Hey Claude.” She couldn’t even get her voice to the right pitch.

“Woah. What happened to you?”

She really didn’t want to have a conversation right now. Honestly, she was hoping to avoid seeing his face for a while. Hilda covered her mouth as she yawned. “I’m going to take a nap.” She didn’t wait for his response. She just walked past him to the stairs. All she had to do was drag herself up to her bed.

* * *

Claude bumped into Marianne as she left the library. As usual she didn’t say much. Just a quick apology as she looked at the ground. One day he would have a proper conversation with her.

The library looked neater than usual. In fact, it was completely reorganized. It was too organized. Even if the librarians had put the shelves together, it was never to this degree. Claude began to investigate the shelves. It had only been two months so who was to say that the library was neater.

As he walked by the shelves a faint floral scent lingered. It smelled familiar but it was hard to tell. Whoever wore the scent must have left a while ago. One shelf in particular stopped his search. The scent was strongest here. He looked up at the shelf to see if anything was different. The books on magic and weapons had been redone. It was even alphabetized. His hands ran across the books as he double checked the titles and subjects. Everything was in place.

Strange.

Before he could ponder for much longer, he shook his head. There was no need to question it. He left to go to a shelf that he had left unfinished. The faint floral scent trail continued to loop around the library.

* * *

The rest of the month continued smoothly. There was more napping, training, and talking to anyone who would do her work. It never ceased to amaze her how so many would offer up their own time if she just feigned her adoration. A shower of compliments was a small price to pay if it meant avoiding chores.

Claude’s words still seemed to haunt her though. The worst part was that he didn’t even seem to recognize what he had said to her. Hilda was tempted to grasp his neck at random times to see his reaction. She was only stopped by her own imagination. Claude would probably brush off the act like it was no big deal.

Professor Manuela was taking them out to their mission for the month. Compared to the Black Eagles, this was nothing. They just had to help patrol one merchant route to the monastery. They were told to pair off to spread out along the road. Hilda was required to stay with Claude and the chaos unraveled before their eyes as they gathered their weapons.

“I don’t mind who I work with.” Ignatz wasn’t a very good liar. Hilda watched as he subtly inched away from Raphael.

“This is ridiculous. I am capable of doing the work on my own.” Lysithea never stopped letting everyone know how grown up she was.

“As long as we all pull our weight it shouldn’t matter who we pair off with.” Leonie was not only standing on the opposite side of him, she also avoided eye contact with Lorenz.

Claude gently nudged her side. He slowly leaned over to get as close to her as possible. “Should the fearless leader of the Golden Deer step in to quell them?”

There was a glint in his eye. Hilda pushed her axe into the ground and leaned in to whisper back. “I’m thinking we pair Ignatz and Marianne together. They’re both quiet. Plus Ignatz looks like he wants to avoid Raphael.”

“Mmm.” He slowly nodded at her suggestion. “I was also thinking about Lysithea and Raphael being paired. Did you know he has a little sister?”

She was thinking that too. “I also heard he misses her dearly.” They both understood what would happen with the two of them together.

“Which leaves Lorenz and Leonie together.”

Hilda gave him a lopsided grin to match his. “Oh Claude, how do you think of such cruel ideas?” She also had the same idea, but he was the one who said it.

“I prefer callous.” There was that mischievous wink. He straightened himself out and cleared his throat. Everyone turned to look at him. “There is a very easy solution to all of this.”

“A solution from you? I doubt this will be a proper solution.” Lorenz never failed to try and deliver his blows towards Claude. 

“Trust me Lorenz. I am the future leader of the Alliance after all.” The words went straight to Lorenz’s gut. He was never any good at keeping his composure. “Ignatz you and Marianne work together near the middle of the road. That way Marianne can stay protected and close to allies if they need to be healed.”

Marianne only looked at the ground. Ignatz seemed relieved to be given a chance to escape Raphael.

“Lysithea you stay with Raphael. He works in the front and you work from behind.”

Lysithea huffed at the idea. Hilda could see her silent protest through her eyes.

“Which means Lorenz and Leonie will work together.” Claude didn’t provide an explanation. Watching their faces fill with horror was extremely satisfying.

“And why do you think this is the best way to pair us off?” Lorenz’s shock turned into pure irritation.

Claude just stretched his arms over his head. “I already explained it didn’t I?”

“You gave no explanation for me working with a com- Leonie.” He caught himself pretty quickly this time. Leonie had already taken a few hits at him for calling her a commoner in a condescending way. Seems he was learning his lesson.

“Oh I think I hear professor Manuela calling us.” Claude cupped a hand around his ear. He looked back at Hilda as he pretended to listen to professor Manuela.

This was her cue. “Oh yeah I do hear her calling us.” Hilda stopped leaning on the pommel of her axe to take hold of the grip.

“We wouldn’t want to keep our professor waiting now.”

He wasn’t able to see the look on Lorenz’s face as he turned around, but Hilda got to. She had to quickly turn around and follow Claude. Once they were far enough, the two burst into laughter. The words that were bothering her vanished as they laughed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Byleth picked Black Eagles
> 
> :)


	6. Garland Moon 1180

Everyone seemed to be worried about the Western Church’s rebellion. Hilda kept hearing about it as she went about her day. The students from the Blue Lion house were the most worried. It wasn’t something she wanted to think about. Even more so since it wasn’t their class mission. She had another mission right now.

The brief stop she made to the marketplace let her get the last of the supplies she needed. The brown basket she brought was now full of everything she needed. Professor Byleth briefly talked with her before she left. His stoic face was still uncrackable. Even after she mentioned training as little as possible, he didn’t seem to react.

Hilda walked out the gates of Garreg Mach and headed straight for the fields. A few other students were hanging out as well. In one patch of grass, Linhardt almost blended in as he napped next to Bernadetta. Petra was farther away climbing up a tree. At the farthest end of the fields a blanket of white roses stretched along the wall.

Hilda skipped over to the wall of roses. Taking one look let her know that she was the first to be here. She set the basket down and put on a pair of gloves. Next, she grabbed the shears and began to cut the white roses by the stem. By now this was all muscle memory. As she cut each rose, she would quickly inspect it for bugs. Once it passed the test it would be tossed into the basket. It didn’t take long for the small section of roses to disappear.

The morning sun had passed over to the afternoon heat. Hilda took out a handkerchief from her pockets to wipe the sweat off her brow. She had gathered all the flowers she needed to make the seven garlands. Plus this wasn’t her garden. Hilda looked down the wall of roses to see Annette and Mercedes were also cutting roses. The sun was starting to take a toll on her delicate skin. She gathered the basket and materials to move under the shade.

The field was still occupied with Lindhardt but now with Dorothea. Petra must have also left or was somewhere else. Whatever the case, Hilda didn’t want to be disturbed. The roses would only be good for a few hours and only live a few days after that. She had to finish everything today. After a bit more of scanning the field, she spotted a tree with no one around.

Hilda happily skipped over and plopped herself under the shade. “Perfect!” She took out the shears again and began cutting off the thorns of the rose.

“What’s so perfect?”

Hilda almost yelped but she knew that voice. Whipping around she could see a pair of familiar black boots. “Claude!” Her head shot up to glower at him. “You almost made me cut the stem!”

Without an invitation, Claude squatted down next to her. “My apologies.” There was that mixed voice of sincerity and wit. It was annoying but oddly entertaining. “So are you skipping out on training and chores to cut flowers?”

Hilda gasped at his claim. “I would never skip training and chores.” There was a knowing look in his eyes. Even if he did know, it was more fun to deny it. “But this month is Garland Moon. I need to make a garland for everyone in the Golden Deer house.” She quickly went back to snipping off the thorns. He silently watched as she cut them off. Hilda minded the silence with only the snips of her sheers filling the void.

“So how do you make garlands with roses?” There didn’t seem to be any secondary purpose behind the question. Hilda watched him pick up a rose and inspect it.

“It’s pretty easy once you learn how to do it.” She put down the shears to grab a clean rose. “You just have to intertwine the stems together. Garland Moon is the best time for flower picking because they’re in full bloom and the stems are flexible.” Hilda picked up another rose and placed them next to each other. She adjusted how far apart the roses would be before twisting the stems together. “Don’t twist them all the way since you have to keep adding roses down the stems.”

Claude only silently nodded. She watched him pick up a second rose and put them together. His fingers fumbled as he twisted the stems together. It wasn’t as tight knit as hers but it wouldn’t fall apart. “How many roses do you need to finish?”

“Depends on how far apart they are and how long the stems are.” Hilda continued putting the roses together. “I cut these stems for about eight roses for each garland.”

“That sounds like a small garland. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He was back to teasing her.

Hilda playfully frowned back at him. “It’s supposed to be small. I’m making garlands you wear on your head.” Half a garland was already finished. Four roses perfectly spaced between each other.

“Well looks like you’re already halfway done with one.” Claude reached for his third rose in some weird attempt to catch up. The next one was too far apart from the initial two. Hilda could see visible frustration on his face. The last she saw him make that face was after Edelgard and professor Byleth had wiped out the Golden Deers in the mock battle. “Gah this might take me all day to get one garland just right.”

It was truly sloppy work. “For your first time it’s not bad. Plus you have me as your teacher.” She didn’t even realize that she had almost finished the garland in her hands. “I’ve been making garlands since I was a child.”

“Really?” He didn’t seem to believe her. Even with a finished garland in her hands, he was taking this chance to take a poke at her.

“Do you really doubt me?” Hilda took the garland she finished and placed it on Claude’s head. It fit perfectly. “I guess I finished my first garland.”

Claude gently touched the garland sitting on his head. Even though he couldn’t see it, he was still looking up at it as if he could. Hilda smiled before picking up her shears again. There were more thorns that needed to be cut off.

* * *

It wasn’t easy to tell how much time had passed. The sun was still sitting in the sky and there were still roses that had to be dethorned. As she put another rose down she looked up to see Claude holding a finished garland. In between the white roses were some yellow flowers. The stems were a mess and a few petals had already fallen off. He must have left at some point to get them. Was she really that absorbed that she didn’t notice him leave?

“You really are an expert Hilda.” Claude lifted the garland and placed it on her head. “It’s not as pretty as yours, but I added my own touch to it.”

Hilda couldn’t see what it looked like on her head. But she could see her garland still sitting on his head. There weren’t any words that came to mind or leave her throat. Something warm was boiling in her chest. This was all so weird. She always had something to say. “Thank you Claude.” The words finally came out of her throat. “You know, you’re the only boy who’s made and given me a garland.”

Claude cocked his head to the side. “Really? I thought that you would receive many garlands from all the boys you sweet talk.”

She should have been offended by what he just said, but something didn’t seem to add up. Claude should know that it was the girls who made garlands for friends and lovers. Unless, he really didn’t know that. It wasn’t that important. This was a question for another day. “Well I wouldn’t just accept a garland from any boy. But I will gladly accept yours Claude.”

Claude sighed relief. “Thank goodness. I poured my whole heart into making that garland.” He stretched his arms and got up from the ground. Gently brushing off his coat. “And it has made me hungry. Shall we have a meal together at the dining hall?” He stretched his hand out towards her.

Hilda quickly gathered up anything that sat outside of her basket. She took a hold of his hand and stood up. “After I put away these roses.”

“Of course.” He gave a full bow to her. “Lead the way Miss Goneril.”

They were off. The fields had emptied out. The sun was starting to fall at the other side of the sky. She really had spent the whole day cutting the roses. The garlands would have to be finished tomorrow. As well as her letter to Holst.

* * *

The white rose garlands were delivered to everyone the next day. A few days later, garlands began to populate the monastery. Claude had kept his garland on his desk. He looked at it draped over the edge of the shelf. The roses started to wilt without any water. He wasn’t sure what to do with it once it died.

The past few days he had spent his time trying to learn why Hilda even bothered making them for everyone in the class. He knew about the tradition of making garlands this month, but he didn’t know why or what it meant. The books on Fodlan culture helped answer all the questions he had. So much so that the next few months and events could be handled with grace.

He hoped what he said didn’t make Hilda suspicious. There was an instance when he couldn’t help but ask a question to something he should have known the answer to. Over and over, he thought about it. Had he said anything wrong? The conversation was replayed in his head as he searched to make sure nothing was out of place.

Claude rapidly shook his head to try and stop analyzing. His attention snapped back to the powders sitting in front of him. The book about the local wildlife in Fodlan sat dangerously close to his work. If anything happened to this book, the librarians would have his head. With his elbow he gently pushed the book away from a bottle of purple liquid. Now that the book was in the clear all he had to do was mix the powders into the bottle.

The liquid consumed the powders being poured in. There was some sizzling and popping as things settled together. Claude picked the bottle up to swirl it around. Soon the color changed from purple to a light green. With some more stirring, the green faded to an almost translucent shade. “Hm not quite right.”

After hastily putting the leftover powders away, Claude re-examined the page that was open. He had found the right flowers and the right species of berries. Perhaps he needed a different book. A more in depth book about flowers might do the trick. Looking out the window he could see the sun starting to dip from the sky. That meant the library would still be open. Stumbling out from his chair, Claude dashed off before Tomas could close the doors.

* * *

The library was quiet as usual. This time Linhardt wasn’t occupying the desks with a hoard of books. Instead there was a different mage sitting at the tables. Claude quietly approached Lysithea from behind. Her head was buried in the book she was reading.

“Ah, so I see... If one were to combine this incantation method with the power of a Crest, then in theory, it should─”

“Hey there. Still studying, are we? Isn't it past your bedtime?”

Lysithea turned around from her seat. There was a stern look on her face. “Claude, I really don't appreciate you interrupting me right now.”

“Ah, but if you don't get your sleep, you're never going to grow big and strong!” It was too much fun to poke at her. He really couldn’t resist having some fun.

Lysithea crossed her arms, still giving him a stern look. Her usual talk about not being a child came up. Claude couldn’t help but continue to push her by calling her a princess and offering to help her get to bed. When it proved ineffective, he challenged her to a duel.

After a pause, Lysithea uncrossed her arms. “I find myself speechless in the wake of your staggering ignorance. Now, please, leave me be.”

There was a chance he had pushed her too much. “Ok, ok. I can take a hint. But in all seriousness, you shouldn't neglect your sleep. You'll fall ill if you push yourself too hard.” This was genuine advice but there was a chance she wouldn’t take it. Perhaps just one more to wrap it up. “Oh, and just so you know... I heard a rumor that this library is haunted.”

She finally stopped glaring at him. She gasped out loud and her eyes grew larger.

“It's probably not true. Right? Right. Anyhow, I’m off to bed. Good night!” He wasn’t really leaving. There was a book about flowers he needed. Claude turned away from Lysithea, keeping his eyes on her.

“You know... I am suddenly rather sleepy!” Lysithea shot up from her seat. “Excuse me while I see myself out!” Before Claude could say anything else, she scurried out. Leaving the book she was reading at the table.

“Heh, no matter how she tries to hide it, she's still a young girl at heart.” A successful amount of teasing and he even got her to go to bed.

Claude looked down at the book she was reading. There were equations littering the page. Several Crests were listed out on a table. He picked the book up to read later. If Lysithea came looking for it, he would just give it to her.

Before he left the table, his nose caught a faint floral scent. It was familiar. Upon further investigation, he determined that it was the same scent he had smelled earlier this month. A floral scent he had caught from Hilda.

So Hilda had organized the library last month. It didn’t seem right since she avoided doing any kind of work. The perfume could be a coincidence. But it wasn’t important to figure it out now. His focus was on a book of flowers.

* * *

The usual schedule of classes and training continued like normal for the rest of the month. As the end of the month grew closer, the more Blue Lions grew worried about Lord Lonato. When leaving for their missions, Hilda noticed that Ashe wasn’t with his class. Annette and Mercedes quietly explained how professor Byleth took him to their mission instead. Then the two classes parted ways to their destinations.

Before the end of the day, the Golden Deers and Blue Lions had come back from their missions. The Black Eagles still hadn’t come back. Nightfall would come soon and there was still no sign of them.

A few hours later The Black Eagles house returned to the monastery. Each of them looked like they had seen and done things they wished they didn’t have to do. When some students asked them what happened, they simply shook their heads. Ashe’s freckles jumped from his pale face. No one dared to speak with him as he silently went to his room. Professor Byleth kept his stony face while Edelgard kept her poise. Catherine was gripping a piece of paper and marched straight to Rhea.

A few days later Professor Manuela told them of their next mission.

Protect the monastery during the Rite of Rebirth from assassins.


	7. Blue Sea Moon 1180

The Golden Deers wrapped up their meeting with Professor Manuela. She left first with the others slowly following her lead. Claude turned to the table to look at the map of Garreg Mach again. There were markings all over it for where each house would patrol with the knights. Several places of importance were highlighted for extra security. There was no explanation to why these highlighted areas were more important and-

“Claude, are you staying?” He looked up to see Hilda still standing in the classroom.

“Oh I thought you left with everyone.” If she was going to stay, Claude could just think about it more on his own time. He picked up the map and began rolling it up. “Didn’t want to leave me alone did you?”

Hilda gave him a lopsided smile. Her brows didn’t match the supposedly cheerful expression. “Well I was going to leave but,” She paused for a bit as if she was trying to put her own thoughts together. “I don’t know something doesn’t seem… right.”

“Oh?” Claude had figured she was perceptive after some time. But he never knew to what extent. “Why do you say that?” This simple question should answer his curiosity if she opened up.

“I just think something’s wrong. Maybe it’s because House Goneril has always raised warriors who fight for the Alliance but…” She paused again. For a second she seemed to debate how much to say. “I don’t think the assassination note is real.”

Hilda’s perception was remarkable. Claude couldn’t hold back the smile that was forming on his face. He wasn’t the only one who thought that. “I don’t think it’s real either. If it truly were a secret note, Teach and Catherine wouldn’t have found it.” That’s all he would say for now. There was no need to delve into the details of why he thought that.

Claude sat down at the desk to unroll the map he just packed away. He patted the spot next to him, gesturing for her to join. Hilda promptly sat down next to him. For the next few hours they talked about the different highlighted places. Devising a plan to learn about each place to figure out the real plan behind the note.

* * *

The first free day of the month was going to be spent searching for clues. Claude devised for them to visit places they would normally visit to keep suspicion off of them. That meant he would go to the classes and library. Hilda would stay around areas with high social activity. They couldn’t figure who should go to the cathedral at first, but Claude decided to go showing genuine curiosity to explore it.

Hilda found professor Byleth walking around the monastery as usual. Today he seemed to be in a rush. Hilda followed from afar, watching him go to the greenhouse and then leave for the dining hall. Two of the highlighted places on the map. After he finished talking to whoever, Hilda would swoop in to make small talk. It would be suspicious to ask outright. It was more natural if it was a real conversation. Plus, she could find some people to do her chores. There wasn’t any time to complete them while snooping around.

The last place she visited was the Knight’s hall. A priest was standing by one of the back doors. Professor Byleth had beaten her there. Hilda hid behind the wall to listen to what was being said.

“Do you know what this room is? It is the church's treasure vault. I say treasure, but I do not mean silver and gold and jewels. It mostly contains weapons, artifacts, and the like.”

“Anything that would cause a stir for being stolen?” Professor Byleth didn’t talk much and was always getting to the point. No sweet talk from him.

“No. The church knows better than to store anything too valuable in such an accessible location.”

Ancient artifacts and weapons? Hilda only knew of the Heroes Relics. Were there other kinds of weapons?

The voice of the professor was now hushed. Hilda peeled herself off the wall and hurried along. By the time the professor came into the Reception hall, she was already talking with Sylvain. He approached the two of them as they discussed classes and the Rite of Rebirth.

“No classes on a festival day! I thought I'd get to spend all day relaxing in the company of some lovely ladies, but now this has happened.” Sylvain looked up to see the professor standing next to them. “Hey, professor, I know there's talk of an assassination attempt, but do you really think they'll do it on the day of the Rite of Rebirth? I feel like security would be looser some other time. Is there some reason why it has to happen on that day?”

The usual stoic face was the only response. Though he looked a bit more concentrated.

Hilda didn’t know if he was staring at her because he knew she was tailing him or for some other reason. She quickly changed the subject from the assassination. “Did you know that, on the last day of the rite, the monastery's open to the general public? It's kinda fun. It makes the place feel like a festival.”

He only nodded and said a quick goodbye. Hilda watched as he left either for the cathedral or the stairs.

“I can’t figure out the professor.” Sylvain clicked his tongue. “He’s impossible to read.”

“I know!” It would be rude to just leave Sylvain behind. After all, she was the only girl in the hall right now. Maybe she could entertain this for a while.

* * *

Claude was talking with Marianne and Lysithea in the classroom. Professor Byleth stopped by presumably after talking with Edelgard in the Black Eagles classroom. Lysithea complained about losing time to study with faculty being on guard duty. Claude decided to only make some comment about Rhea not being beloved by everyone. Marianne thought out loud about forces who were against the church. The professor left after a few words. The three talked for a while longer, well it was mostly him and Lysithea talking with Marianne staying silent.

After excusing himself, he made his way to the library. Just another normal day for him. He couldn’t stop pondering how Hilda was doing with gathering information. The pondering was short as he heard her voice in the Reception hall. Sylvain’s voice mixed alongside her. They were going to meet later tonight so it was better for him to go up the stairs rather than make a visit.

As he passed the professors offices, professor Hanneman’s voice echoed in the tiny hallway. Claude slowly walked past to see professor Byleth listening to him. He stuck close to the door after slipping by.

“Pardon? You think the goal may be different than simple assassination? Intriguing.” So the professor was also searching for clues. Interesting. “I suppose the priceless objects in this room could perhaps draw thieves. However, there's no one but me who could make use of them…”

Claude quietly slipped away. He could hear footsteps coming out the door. Once he turned the corner, he dashed to the library.

There were more monks than usual. Claude bounded up the stairs to the second floor where no one was around. Ignoring the looks he got from the monks, he grabbed a random book to stuff his face into. The same footsteps from professor Hanneman’s office walked into the library.

Nearing the edge he could see the professor walk over to the female monk by the entrance. “There's something about that boy…”

The professor waved hello and she turned her attention to him. “Who?”

“That boy who assists the archbishop... Cyril, I believe? I hear he's originally from a foreign land to the east called Almyra. I know he's still only a child, but I do wonder about his true intentions…”

The monk’s words pierced through his ears. She knew he was just a child and yet she was assuming he was here for a different reason. What she said wasn’t intentionally malicious but it didn’t stop Claude’s heart from jumping into his throat.

Another monk’s voice now filled the library. The professor had moved on without him noticing. Claude took in a deep breath. He couldn’t get upset now. Not when he needed information. “Sometimes Seteth will dispose of books that are deemed inappropriate for the monastery, but that's about it. In a way, I suppose that makes those particular volumes more valuable... Right?”

Seteth was disposing books? Claude’s mind scrambled around. What was the church trying to hide if Seteth was discarding certain books?

Professor Byleth said a quick thank you to the monk. He turned around to leave. Claude took a step back from the parapet. The professor hadn’t looked up, but he didn’t want to be caught following him.

Once the coast was clear, Claude put the book back on the shelf. His next stop was the cathedral. Someone would happily tell him more about the Rite of Rebirth.

* * *

Alois happily explained the Goddess Tower to him. Luckily, it didn’t come off as suspicious since students seemed to be naturally curious about the tower. It seemed like he had given this talk before.

Claude walked inside of the cathedral to find it packed. The priests stood in front of students, merchants, nobles, and regulars. It would be difficult to look around with so many people. He also had no desire to be mixed in with the crowd who offered their prayers.

As he scanned the room, he spotted Ignatz standing closer to the pews. Claude looked around the cathedral again. There were too many people for him to go to any priests of knights to ask them more about the Rite of Rebirth. He settled on talking to Ignatz for today. There would be another day to answer his questions.

* * *

Hilda pushed the books on Claude’s bed to the side. She didn’t realize how much Claude read until now. He was basically swimming in books. A book on Fodlan flowers sat on top of one of the piles. “Are all of these books yours?” Once there was space, she plopped on top of a yellow blanket with a geometric pattern. It felt like silk as she ran her hand over it.

Claude turned his chair around to face her. “I would say about half of them are mine.” He leaned back into the chair with one leg propped on top of the other. “The other half is from the library.”

“Huh…” She noted the different kinds of books on his bed. Most of them were about Fodlan’s history and legends that were passed down. But why did he need a book about flowers?

“So what did you find out?” It wasn’t the time to try and figure out Claude. They had to focus on the fake assasination note.

They quickly briefed the information about the highlighted areas. Hilda felt that her information was mostly useless. The only place of interest was the treasure vault. Claude seemed to come up with just as much information as her. He seemed to be holding something back when he mentioned the library. For a second he broke eye contact as he talked about Seteth discarding books.

Hilda groaned once they piled their information together. There wasn’t anything noteworthy. “I spent the whole day following the professor around and I didn’t get a chance to take a nap or finish the necklace I’m making!” She was tempted to just collapse into Claude’s bed. “To make things worse, I couldn’t find my perfume.” She could see him questioning her with just his brows lifting. “I think I lost it last month after I let Lysithea try it. Maybe I’ll ask my brother to send me a new one.” She did have to write back to him. There was no way she was going to write about this fake assasination note. It would have him running to Garreg Mach to protect her.

Claude sighed as he ruffled his hair a bit. “I lost something too not that long ago. Maybe we can both find our lost items as we search for more clues.”

After seeing the mess in his room, she wasn’t surprised to hear he lost something. “What did you lose?”

“Hm?” He seemed caught off guard by the question. Hilda felt it was only natural to ask. “Oh it’s a pendant my grandfather gave me before I left for Garreg Mach. Had the crest of Riegan on it and is about this big.” Claude held his hand up, curling his thumb and pointer finger into a small circle.

It was a sizable pendant. But there was no way he would find it. Garreg Mach was huge. Hilda looked through the circle Claude made to see him gazing at her.

“Since you asked about my pendant, let me ask you about your perfume. What kind of perfume was it?” Hilda could feel her face scrunching up at the question. Why would Claude want to know about her perfume? She gave the same explanation she gave to Lysithea last month.

Claude slowly nodded his head. “Despite our lost items, I don’t think today was a complete loss.”

That was the opposite of what she thought. “Why’s that?”

“Well, we learned about a treasure vault and books being discarded from the library.” There must have been a reason behind why he thought this was important. “I also plan on going back to the cathedral to learn more about the Holy Mausoleum.”

“Oh right it’s going to be open to the public.” She didn’t know much about the Holy Mausoleum. Other than it being shut all year round. “Does it have something important?”

“I don’t know.” Claude’s mouth skewed to the side. She could see his eyes were no longer looking at her, but past her. “Once I do find something we can figure out the rest.”

Everything was sucking energy out of her. Hilda didn’t care anymore. She moved the rest of the books on the bed away from her. Once it was clear, she collapsed onto the bed. “This is exhausting.” Her head was an arms length away from the wall. Usually if she laid down like this her head would be up against the wall. “Why is your bed so big?”

“It’s to hold all of my books.” That was the answer she expected him to give. Hilda crooked her head up to see him grinning at his own answer. “Is your bed smaller?”

Had he not been in other peoples rooms? This wasn’t to say she was going around into other peoples rooms, but from what she could tell everyone had the same sized bed. “Claude you’re the only one with a bed this big.”

“Really?” The way his brows furrowed showed that he really had no idea. “Guess it’s luck.”

“Guess so.” Hilda stayed laying on his bed for a few more seconds. Falling asleep here would be more convenient but it would also be odd. “I’m going to sleep until it’s noon tomorrow.”

She could hear Claude getting up from his chair. “Would you like to be escorted back to your room Miss Goneril?” His hand was reaching out as he loomed over her.

He read her so well. Not only could he read her, he fed into it. Hilda daintily lifted her hand to grasp his. “Oh Mister Riegan you are too kind.”

They shared a laugh together as Claude gently pulled her up from the bed. He walked her to her room and bowed before leaving. Hilda could still feel his palm in hers. It felt nice to grasp his hand.

* * *

The cathedral was emptier after the initial surge of nobles coming to say their prayers. Claude was able to talk to a priest about the Holy Mausoleum. It was a tomb that held the goddess’ body. The priest didn’t seem too concerned about the contents of the tomb. Mentioning that it was protected with magic to stop grave robbers. Once the priest left, he decided to walk around the cathedral some more. After all, this was built for the goddess and her followers.

As he looked around, the things he had read would run through his thoughts. There were statues of the Four Saints in one corner. He had tried to read about them but the librarians had informed him that Lindhardt had currently checked those books out. Claude’s thoughts began to wander as he looked up to the ceiling. It was no wonder Ignatz was standing here to think before.

“You. Just what are you up to?”

Claude’s heart jumped to his throat. How lost in thought was he to not have heard his footsteps? Perhaps this is how Ignatz felt the other day. He turned around to face that snooty voice. “Well, if it isn't Lorenz!”

The scowl he bared whenever he looked at him was present. “Yes, it is. Try not to sound so affronted. And you're just whimsically wandering the monastery grounds again, I suppose?”

Did Lorenz watch him? Well he was doing quite a lot of exploring this month. Especially last week. “Oh, naturally. After all, I really do adore the Garreg Mach Monastery.” A partial truth but he couldn’t help smiling.

“No, I think not. That impish look on your face does not suggest innocence. You are up to something.” He was quick with his sharp words. The smile must have been too much to handle.

“Lorenz, control yourself. Let's not start throwing around baseless accusations. It's not proper.” There was a quick change in expression with the mention of being proper. It was a look seething in silent anger. With his silence, Claude continued. Explaining his thoughts of the history the cathedral held. Lorenz only kept glaring at him. “Our distant ancestors may have walked these halls. Doesn't that excite you?” This wasn’t a partial truth. Claude really did wish to know more about the history of Garreg Mach.

Lorenz’s expression softened a bit. “Perhaps, if this were a discussion about art. But I'm afraid walls and floors are not sufficiently interesting to hold my attention.” There was a pause before the glare returned. “Nor will they suffice to distract me from what is plainly suspicious about you. House Riegan was on the brink of collapse until they suddenly revealed you as their legitimate heir. That was only a year ago. Where were you before that? Are you even a true heir to House Riegan?”

This question again. “If I weren't truly of House Riegan descent, how do you imagine I acquired my Crest?” Claude didn’t have to conjure his crest since that was the first thing he did when Lorenz arrived at Garreg Mach.

The answer didn’t satisfy Lorenz. It only angered him as he yapped about the way a noble must act. Claude already read a stuffy book about the rules and spent a year with his grandfather to learn all about it. But it would be more fun to poke at Lorenz instead. “Well, that's what I came here to hone, after all. I can only hope that you will assent to instruct me in the art of snobbery, Professor Lorenz!”

He had poked him a little too well. Lorenz’s glare became deadly. “I do not think you grasp the significance of the responsibility you bear. Do you even know what it means to lead the Leicester Alliance?” That wasn’t a question for him to answer as Lorenz continued with his speech. “I take no pleasure in saying this, but much of the chaos in our ranks right now is due to the failings of House Riegan's leadership. I intend to set things right. And once I expose you for the fraud you are, and reclaim my rightful place, that is precisely what I will do. Lorenz turned around to have his back facing him. “To be blunt... it would have been better had you never shown your face around here.” With that he stormed out of the cathedral.

“Sheesh, that guy. He just can't be reasoned with.” There was no need for this sudden throb in his chest. It’s not like he hadn’t heard similar words before. The air in the cathedral was growing thicker. Claude needed to leave. Find a place with thinner air.

Perhaps his dream truly was impossible. For a while he believed he was walking closer and closer. But Lorenz proved how far away his dream was. How would he react if the truth came out? How would they all react?

* * *

Hilda put together the finishing touches on the table. The end of the table had a gold cloth draping over it with her own silverware and plates. The crest of Goneril was painted around the edges of the plates. All that was needed was the food. It took a large favor to get one of the chefs to cook a dish of Derdriu-style fried pheasant. She just had to help clean the dishes tomorrow.

No one bat an eye at her taking over one small section of the table. Even as the dining hall started to fill with hungry students, they all walked past her. One of the servants did try to stop her but she easily swayed her opinion once she explained it was for a special event.

A special event that was for two people. She had tried to invite the others from their class but they were all busy after classes with studying or training. Lorenz especially didn’t let her say more once she said it was Claude’s birthday dinner.

During lunch professor Byleth asked Claude if he would like to join him for tea. It seemed like he invited everyone to tea on their birthday. It was oddly sweet from someone who didn’t change facial expressions.

The chef who agreed to cook the meal came over with a covered tray. “Your Derdriu-style friend pheasant Miss Goneril.” He set the tray down next to her tablecloth. “Just remember you need to help clean the dishes tomorrow.”

Hilda clasped her hands together seeing the tray. “Thank you so much! This means so much to me. I wouldn’t be able to have this meal without you.” She hoped if she laid out her charms, she could avoid tomorrow.

The chef only bowed and left. Seems that her charm wasn’t powerful enough. Hilda would just have to suddenly fall ill and put the responsibility of dishes onto someone else. She carefully picked the tray up and set it in the middle of the table setting. Now everything was perfect. A mediocre meal from the dining hall and a golden setting for the beloved house leader.

“Hilda!” That was his voice.

She whirled around so fast, one of her ponytails swung around her waist. Claude was walking in with professor Byleth. The excited smile she wore all night vanished. This wasn’t part of the plan. She had only set the table for two because no one else accepted the invitation. “Oh professor are you joining us?” It wasn’t proper to ask a question before a greeting but this was important. “If you are I can grab another plate.”

The professor gave a tiny nod. “I can get my own.” He didn’t give her a chance to retort as he walked off.

Hilda began to move the tablecloth to cover more of the table. Maybe she could move her plate next to Claude’s and-

“I hope you don’t mind Hilda.” Claude’s hand came in view as he grabbed the silverware. “I invited him after we finished tea.”

“I don’t mind. Truthfully I wanted the whole house to be here.” She set her plate down next to Claude’s. “It was going to be a nice birthday dinner with everyone. I’m actually surprised Raphael didn’t join.”

“That is odd. I’m guessing Lorenz rejected your invitation.” He put the silverware down next to her plate. They weren’t in the right spots but it didn’t matter anymore.

“As soon as I said it was for your birthday he turned his nose up and left.” They both chuckled at the imagery. “Marianne practically ran away from me. Lysithea and Leonie said they would rather study and train.”

“Did Ignatz say he had to paint?”

Hilda nodded. “Raphael said yes at first but then later he told me he suddenly had to do something else. At least the professor can join us.”

As she looked up to see where the professor was, the number of eyes looking at her had increased. No they weren’t looking at her. They were looking past her to Claude. No one had even glanced at her after she had loudly begged the chef to cook a meal, took over a small section of the table, set the table, and waited. The professor was coming back with his plate and silverware. More eyes were following him as he came back to the table. Hilda looked over at Claude who started chatting with the professor. Did they not notice everyone looking at them?

The rest of dinner was like that. They would be eating and talking with eyes on them. Hilda glanced over at other students once in a while to find them staring. Some whispered as they stared. Even those who walked in would stop to look. They didn’t do that when she was by herself but now it’s like there were magnets pulling in everyone’s gaze. Claude and the professor didn’t seem to notice. If they did, they paid no attention to it.

How annoying. She planned for a fun birthday dinner with everyone and it was only the three of them with everyone else just staring. This was exhausting.

* * *

The professor left first after they helped Hilda clean the dishes she used. She had brought her own personal dishware from home for special occasions. The tablecloth was folded in her arms with the plates and silverware on top. They slowly walked up the stairs to their dorms together. He noticed that her face was scrunched up since they had finished dinner. There wasn’t a reason for it. He thought they had an enjoyable time. “Thank you for the dinner Hilda.”

Hilda’s brows loosened as she smiled at him. “It’s a shame that we couldn’t have a bigger celebration.” Her head fell down a bit to face the plates in her arms. “I spent a lot of time planning it too.”

He needed to get more out of her. “You planned that lavish dinner just for my birthday?” This was the line he would cast. “Even the chef cooked a special meal for you.”

She was still looking down at the plates. Once they reached the top of the stairs, she looked up at him with playful annoyance. “All that work for a small dinner. It was tiring.”

Time to pull in the line he cast. “Is that why you look so grumpy?” Perhaps he pulled the line too soon. Hilda now looked genuinely annoyed. “You’ll soon be sleeping in bed for all the hard work you put into planning my birthday dinner.”

Her room was just up another small flight of stairs. Hilda returned her gaze to the plates. “That’s true. But I still have to wake up for classes in the morning.” The short staircase was conquered with her attention coming back up. “Oh wait here Claude.”

Claude stood outside of her room as she went in. Hilda came back out with her arms extended to him with a box in her hands. It was neatly wrapped in floral paper. “Happy birthday Claude!”

“Thank you Hilda.” He took hold of the thin box. It was very light. “This may be the best birthday I’ve had.” It was a light joke since his past birthdays were more upbeat.

Hilda took in his words and chewed on it. Now she looked worried. “Really? Even with all those people looking at you?”

Whether he was able to fish out why she seemed so agitated or she decided to bring it up was up for debate, but he finally figured out why she was making that face. “Oh it’s not really an issue. I’m used to it.” He gave her a nice smile. Making her worry was the last thing on his list.

“Well I’m not.” For a moment he saw an expression she had never bared before. He didn’t have a chance to analyse it as it swept away. “Having people stare and whisper about you is annoying. We were just trying to enjoy dinner.”

Claude couldn’t help but chuckle. “People always look at outsiders. I’m no stranger to the looks and whispers.”

Hilda shook her head. “Claude von Riegan you are no outsider. You are the leader of the Golden Deers and the heir to House Riegan.” The words came out of her with such ferocity. They clawed through his ears and down to his heart.

The right words couldn’t come out. No, the words wouldn’t come out. Not now. “Thank you Hilda.” Was the only thing he could muster.

His words weren’t enough, even for Hilda. Her expression had softened to give a lopsided grin, but her eyes said otherwise. “Goodnight Claude.”

“Goodnight Hilda.” The door slowly shut before him.

Claude gradually made his way to his room. Hilda’s words echoed in his mind. There was always a short wall in place that kept him stationed. The past three months were not spent in vain as he worked towards his dream. The closest person to him at Garreg Mach just declared him to not be an outsider. Even if he felt that Hilda saw him as an equal, he couldn’t be sure until the words were said.

Once in his room, Claude delicately opened the box. There was a thin, hooked, golden bookmark inside with a folded piece of paper under it. A pendant with the crest of Riegan dangled from the end of the hook. He picked it up to examine it closely. It was all metal and definitely handmade. He opened the paper to see Hilda’s cursive writing.

_ I know it’s not the same as the one your grandfather gave you. But this should be harder to lose! Happy birthday Claude. -Hilda _

An open book sat on his desk just begging to be closed. Claude hooked the bookmark over the spine and shut the book. The pendant swayed from the motion.

It took a while to fall asleep as his mind wandered. How would Hilda react to the truth? The more he questioned, the more his mind grew tired. Claude was asleep before he knew it.

* * *

Despite discussing that the Holy Mausoleum was the target of culprits, their class was stuck guarding the outside of the cathedral. The Blue Lions were tasked with guarding the entrance of Garreg Mach. The Rite of Rebirth was happening right now at the Goddess Tower.

Claude was talking about how the other day he had to wash dishes for a sick student. Hilda had to hold in her laughter. So Claude ended up washing the dishes she was supposed to clean. Not only that, he made such a mess that the servants scolded him.

After an hour they had all grown bored. Leonie loudly complained about her training going to waste on their simple monthly missions. Lysithea joined her as she talked about the long nights she had spent studying.

Hilda leaned against the wall of the bridge with her axe still in hand. Looking down at the valley under the bridge. In a hushed but audible voice she thought out loud. “I saw the professor take the Black Eagles into the cathedral. Weren’t they stationed somewhere else?”

She didn’t have to look at Claude to know he wasn’t looking at her. His voice was traveling down the bridge. “They were stationed for the courtyards if anyone got past the Blue Lions. But I heard that Teach was able to get their assigned spot moved.”

“Really?” Hilda glanced over to see the rest of the Golden Deer now spread across the bridge. Only her and Claude stood closest to the cathedral. “He was exploring the monastery like a mad man earlier this month.”

“So were we.” His voice had grown closer to her.

“Perhaps he figured it out like us.” She turned her head some more to see him standing beside her.

Claude took in a deep breath. Sorting out his thoughts with a fresh breath of air. “Teach is pretty remarkable. I believe he figured it out.”

Hilda stood up straight and stretched. “If you think the professor is remarkable for figuring it out,” She turned her head to face him. He was still looking down the bridge at their classmates. “I guess that makes us exceptional.” Claude finally looked at her to give a snort. Hilda just smiled back. Only a few more hours left of guarding nothing.

* * *

Only when the Rite of Rebirth finished did students learn of the Western Church attempting to sabotage the event. The Black Eagles came out victorious. Catherine and the knights escorted Professor Byleth to meet with Rhea. He clutched a new sword with a gaping hole in his hand.


	8. Verdant Rain Moon 1180

During the Garland Moon, students couldn’t stop talking about House Rowe. Now they couldn’t stop talking about House Gautier. All the talk caused the Blue Lions to gain more attention, especially Sylvain. Claude didn’t have a chance to process any of the talk or talk with Professor Byleth before Judith came to pick him up. The Sword of the Creator was in his hands. The legendary sword once wielded by Nemesis.

The conversation he overheard between Rhea, Seteth, and the professor played over and over in his mind. Rhea just handed the sword over despite Seteth’s shock and objection. Was the professor that special? What made him so special to be given the power to wield the Sword of the Creator?

It wasn’t his fault that the professor had picked the Black Eagles. He had done the best he could to convince him to join the Golden Deers. However, the mythical stories he was reading were becoming true right before his eyes. If only the professor’s strength was on his side.

The trip to Derdriu and back took a few days. The Roundtable meeting went just as smoothly as he expected, which was not at all. His grandfather was well enough to be in attendance but he was still the acting leader. From the looks of it, Claude calculated about five more years before his time would end.

If he did leave this world in five years, would he be ready as the new leader? How much more would he have to do for his dream?

* * *

Things were much quieter with Claude gone. Hilda calculated how much longer he would be gone for. He had left on the first day of the month and was headed for Derdriu. If the rains didn’t interrupt their trip, he should be back in two days.

That also meant she hadn’t written back to Holst yet. It had been almost two weeks since she wrote back to him. If she didn’t get writing soon, he was going to send another letter. In fact, he probably already sent one and it was on its way to the monastery.

Hilda stood in front of the stables thinking of what to write. Actually, she had to do some chores. If she stood around long enough someone was bound to show up.

Crunching from the gravel came from around the corner. Perfect. Hilda turned to see Cyril coming to the stables. She still remembered seeing him when he was serving House Goneril three years ago. Oh how he had grown since then.

Once he was close enough, Hilda opened her mouth to speak. “Hey, Cyril. What're you up to? Working?”

Cyril’s brows furrowed together. “You're in the way, Hilda. Move.”

Hilda almost took a step back. So quick and brash. “How rude! I'm not in the way.”

“Are you just here to goof off?” He wasn’t wasting any time. Someone like him wasn’t one who could be won over by charm.

Another tactic was needed. She made the best scowl she could and shook her head. “No. I'm here to feed the horses, actually.”

Cyril looked around her. His eyes took in everything around them. “Uh-huh. Where's the fodder then?”

This is the moment to strike. “I wasn't sure where to find it. Can you help with that?”

He no longer looked irked but drained from speaking with her. “I'll take care of it. I'm cleaning the place anyways.”

Oh it was all too easy. No extra words or charm. “Ooh, thanks! It's great to have you on the job. I know you'll handle it perfectly.”

“Yeah, well, I don't like it when I feel like I'm not doing my part.” Cyril began to move past her to get back to work.

“You're always so focused on the task at hand. Sometimes, I almost forget you're Almyran.” The words flew out of her mouth. There was no reason to say that. She had already accomplished her goal of getting someone else to do her job. Cyril continued to look drained. “I always thought they were a...rough and unreliable sort of people. Though you're not really like the rest of them. You seem normal for the most part.” A little compliment to top the conversation off and give her an exit.

“Rough and unreliable, huh?” Cyril almost sounded shocked.

Hilda couldn’t help but continue talking. As she explained what she meant, Cyril’s face shifted. “Everyone says they're a bunch of brutes.” The stories from her father and brother circled around her head. Stories from other Alliances nobles also popped up. Even soldiers who had returned from the Throat had stories to tell.

“Yeah? Huh.” Cyril turned away and began to walk past her.

“Am I boring you? I'm talking about your people.” The words came out a little harshly. Hilda watched as Cyril halted a few steps in front of her.

Slowly, his head shook as he spoke. “Those aren't my people. I was just born there.”

That wasn’t the answer she expected. “Hm. Ok, let's turn the tables. How do the people of Fódlan seem to you, from an Almyran perspective?” She couldn’t help but ask him more. This was a conversation she accidentally started. He was also the only Almyran she would be able to speak to anyways.

“Huh…” Cyril’s head fell a little.

“That look on your face. Are you OK?” Did she ask something that was too personal? Was he trying to hide his opinion from her?

“I can't tell you what I think of folks from Fódlan. I don't really got an impression of them altogether.”

That wasn’t the response she was expecting. Shouldn’t he know the Almyrans perspective? Why would an Almyran not know the answer to this? Afterall, Fodlan had their view on them. “What's that supposed to mean?

Cyril paused for a second. As if to gather what he wanted to say before speaking. “There's all sortsa different people everywhere. You can't say everybody of one place is any one thing. It's no different when you're talking about Fódlan or Almyra or anyplace else. And wherever you go, you see people in power keep the weak ones down.”

What he said wasn’t wrong. Hilda suddenly felt her heart drop into her stomach. Cyril continued speaking his thoughts. “The only difference far as I’m concerned is… One place has Lady Rhea, and the other don’t.” Once he finished his thoughts, he left to do his work in the stables.

Hilda stood in her spot for a few seconds. There was a lot to chew on. She turned to see him gather the cleaning supplies. It was meant to be a compliment when she said he was hard working since he was Almyran.

Before Cyril could return, Hilda mustered the strength to leave. She walked through the courtyards trying to clear her head. As she walked around, she found herself wishing Claude was here. Just to have someone to talk with. After all the time they spent the last few months, she found it comforting to have someone to talk with. Hilda kept telling herself that he would be back soon until she reached her room and collapsed on her bed.

* * *

Classes were almost over by the time Claude returned to Garreg Mach. Judith said her farewell and left to go back to her home. By the time Claude dropped his bag off in his room, the bells rang for the end of classes. He still made his way to the classroom in hopes of Professor Manuela still being there. The chances were slim since she always took off after classes but it was worth a shot. There was definitely lots of work that needed to be made up.

The classroom yard sat still with only two students standing around and talking. When they heard his footsteps, they looked up and hurried off. Claude couldn’t help but sigh. This seemed to still be happening.

Turning into the Golden Deer classroom showed that he was correct about Professor Manuela. Instead his lazy, pink haired, retainer sat at her desk. A smile unknowingly crept up on his face. After the long trip to Derdriu, sitting in the Roundtable meeting, and the long trip back, Hilda was the first person he didn’t expect to want to see.

As he walked over to her, he saw the pen in her hand moving across paper. “What are you writing there, Hilda?” Hilda’s head shot up from the paper. Looking more stunned than anything. “Wait, let me guess. You're replying to one of your brother's letters, right?”

Hilda blinked then a small smile grew on her face. “Of course. It's a pain, but I make sure to always send him a response, otherwise he'll worry.” Claude quickly glanced at her paper. He saw that she had written ‘Almyran’ on there. His curiosity was interrupted with her words. “A few letters here and there are a small price to pay for this peaceful, brother-free environment.”

The few times she had mentioned Holst were when she had to write back to him. It was odd that she never brought him up outside of that. Claude leaned on the table to meet her at eye level. “Well, that's a fine thing to do, regardless of your reasons. As for me, it's been far too long since I've written to my parents…”

This would be his first test. After she had so ferociously declared him to not be an outsider, it was all he could think about. Hilda cocked her head to the side when she heard him say parents. “Oh? I thought your father had died.”

Claude shook his head. “Not quite. He's still alive and kicking... as far as I know. The late duke who died in an accident was my uncle.”

Her head slowly nodded. As if putting together the pieces. “I see. I do recall you mentioning that your mother was born into the Riegan family.” He had only mentioned it once before the academy year started. It was mostly to satisfy Lorenz’s prying. “What's your father like, if you don't mind me asking?”

He could feel his smile grow a little. The bait he had laid brought her in. “He's quite the extravagant character. When I was a kid, he used to tie me to a horse and drag me around.”

Hilda physically leaned back as her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”

“In all fairness, I was quite a little brat.” Her expression didn’t change. “The horse thing sounds worse than it is. There's a sort of trick to it…” The explanation didn’t do much to quell her shock.

Her head shook at whatever she was imagining. “A trick I hope I never need to learn. Your mother didn't step in and make him stop?”

Claude couldn’t help but chuckle. “Gods, no. She'd just laugh right along with him. If my father is extravagant, my mother's more like a warrior goddess or… maybe a demon queen.” Hilda kept gawking at him. The sight of her in shock over such a simple story made him spill out more. “This one time, she got into an argument with my combat instructor and wound up in a full-on fistfight with the guy. What's more? She won! My instructor was a mighty warrior, undefeated in a hundred battles, but even he was no match for her.”

The shock started to mix with concern. “Huh? But your mother is a lady of nobility!”

His head nodded as confirmation. “True, but she was the kind of woman to elope with the man she loved and throw it all away. Not your average duchess at all.” It was a story he had heard numerous times from his mother and father.

Hilda clasped her hands together against her chest. “Ooh, they eloped! I like that. It's so romantic.” Her eyes drifted off as she pictured it. “Imagine, abandoning your family forever to be with the one you love! Not everyone can do that.”

“It's not a question of can. It's a question of will.” Her attention came back to meet his eyes. Claude looked back, hoping to dig into her mind. “Even someone like you, who generally despises effort, would pull out all the stops for something you really care about. Isn't that right?”

Hilda’s whimsical voice evaporated. “Excuse me? I put in plenty of effort!” She was back to using her ‘normal’ voice at his truthful words.

“Hey, that was a compliment!” She was now pouting. “Anyhow, I look forward to the day when something inspires you to try your absolute hardest. It will be something to behold.” Claude winked at her as she continued to pout. “I’ll leave so you can finish writing your letter.” He got up from the table and left.

Claude wondered if he told her too much. She was probably the only one in the Golden Deers to know this story. Hell, she was the only person outside of the Riegan house who knew this story. Whether or not it was a good thing to tell her, the deed was already done. He had cracked the door open.

* * *

Hilda listened as Lysithea talked to her about House Gautier in the classroom. She had stopped by to ask her if she had seen her perfume by chance. It felt rude to leave right after she said no. “It’s been one thing after another.” Hilda felt the exhaustion and frustration Lysithea was shedding.

“They’re fools.”

Hilda glanced up to see Professor Byleth standing in front of them. He must have just walked into the classroom. “Who are?” She knew he talked, but it was always such a rare thing to hear.

Lysithea’s scowl was becoming permanent. “Aristocrats are fools–-allowing their lives to be dictated by their Crests. Though...I suppose I am much the same in that regard…” This was the first time she had seen Lysithea talk about something so passionately that didn’t involve her studies.

The professor just silently nodded. After all, he only just learned that he had a crest.

Hilda smiled at him. “I thought school life would be peaceful and quiet, with a sprinkle of drama to keep things interesting. But since you arrived, it's been one thing after another. Is that just a coincidence, I wonder?”

“I believe so.” He didn’t even hesitate to answer.

“Oh, I was just kidding! Anyway, as I said before, I do like having a little drama in my life.” This wasn’t false. After she finished her letter to Holst, she invited Claude to dinner and they eavesdropped on a few students while exchanging what he had missed when he went to Derdriu. Drama and gossip fueled her motivation.

Professor Byleth just nodded again. He waved goodbye and left. Lysithea exhaled a large puff of air. “I should be heading back to my studies not worrying about others' problems with their Crests.” Hilda thought the same minus the study part.

* * *

Claude stepped out of his room upon hearing Cyrils’ voice. Looking down the hall, Cyril was talking with professor Byleth. “I'm so glad Lady Rhea's safe. I figure you're a great person after all, Professor.” Cyril’s adoration towards Lady Rhea was something else. It made him itch to pry into his mind.

The professor made his way towards him. This was his chance to finally talk to him. “Hello Claude.”

“Hey, Teach. I hear you were able to use the Sword of the Creator. That means... What does that mean?” Claude still couldn’t read his blank face. “Could it mean that you're a descendant of Nemesis, the King of Liberation?!”

The words burst out of him too quickly. For the first time, the professor wore a bewildered face. It was mentioned that he had grown up without the church’s influence. Did that also mean he didn’t know the history of his own land? The professor shook his head. It was enough to answer Claude’s question for now. As much as he wanted to spend the rest of the day reading, he needed to catch up on the work he missed. Professor Manuela was only going to be available for a short amount of time.

* * *

Hilda had thought Claude coming back meant their usual shenanigans would resume. However, the past week he would take off to the library saying he needed to catch up on the work he missed. Leaving her to go and do something else. Today was going to be different. Once Claude left, Hilda went to her room to grab a book and a small bag filled with miscellaneous supplies. She had no intention in studying but she also didn’t want to be bored. Something was going on and she was getting to the bottom of it. Claude would never spend more than a week to catch up on work.

Once she reached the library, she saw the golden cape that draped off of Claude’s shoulder facing her. Hilda sauntered over and plopped into the chair across from him.

Claude’s eyes peeled up from the book he was reading. They were silently questioning her. Watching as she placed her bag in front of her. Hilda pulled the book out and randomly opened it. “Hey Claude.”

His expression quickly changed to a smirk. “Hilda are you actually going to study?”

Hilda tossed a ponytail over her shoulder and huffed. “Well I noticed that you’re still catching up on the work you missed. So I’m here to help you.” She shared a knowing smile. The book she grabbed was an empty journal.

“You’re here to help me?” Hilda nodded to answer the question. Claude daintily flipped a page over in the journal. “However, it seems like you don’t have any notes Miss Goneril.”

“Whoops.” She twirled a bit of her hair. “I must have grabbed the wrong journal.”

Claude kept eye contact as he closed the journal. “It seems like you’ll need to fill that journal with notes before you can help me.”

Hilda could feel her smile growing. This is exactly how she had pictured this unfolding. “How careless of me. I was only trying to help. Maybe I can fill it right now.”

Without another word, Claude put the book in his hands onto the table. He turned it so she could read it. “Did you know that there are eleven different Heroes’ Relics?”

This is what Claude was occupied with the past week? Everyone knew about the Heroes’ Relics, especially the nobles.

“Of course these relics were wielded by the Ten Elites.” Claude turned the page to one filled with illustrations of the Heroes and their Relics. “Now we can’t forget about Nemesis and the Sword of the Creator.” Turning the page showed a simple depiction of Nemesis with the sword in hand.

Hilda wasn’t sure what to make of all this. But asking Claude outright was easier to do now. “Is this extra credit Mister Riegan? Or are you trying to figure out why Professor Byleth can wield the sword?”

“Are you reading my mind Miss Goneril?” The only way to answer that was to shrug. She wasn’t ready to admit that she had figured it out by watching him. Claude rested his chin into his hand. Turning to another page that showed the different crests. “And because you offered to help me with my studies.” He didn’t say the rest of that sentence. Instead he grinned at her. A big, fat grin.

“Are you two done talking?” They both jumped at Linhardt’s voice. Turning around she could see the green haired mage sitting a few tables away. “Your voices are disturbing my studies.” Hilda bit the bottom of her lip. She had always seen him in the library but never spoke to him before. She mouthed an apology that he seemed to accept as he went back to reading.

Hilda turned back to open the journal to the first clean page. She took out a pen from her bag and wrote at the top of the page.

_ Claude von Riegan’s extra credit _

There was no backing out. They were going to do this together just like last month. Hilda leaned across the table to reach for a different book. Claude resumed reading the book in his hands. They spent the rest of the afternoon whispering and inking the journal.

* * *

The dining hall was busy as usual. A few students were sharing a meal, some were doing their chores, and others were merely passing by. Claude didn’t get very far as Lorenz approached him with long strides.

“Claude. Are you aware of the most recent conflict within the Alliance?” He truly was getting straight to the point. Didn’t even start with a greeting.

“Hello to you too, Lorenz. And you'll have to be more specific. The Alliance is always bickering over one thing or another.” The Roundtable meeting was over a week ago. News surely travelled quickly amongst the nobles.

The ever present scowl on Lorenz’s face deepened. “Margrave Edmund is raising objections over the assignment of his troops to the eastern defenses.”

He had only just left his room and this barrage was draining him. “If you please one noble, another will only gripe. No matter what happens, there will always be conflict.”

“That is just the kind of lackadaisical attitude that causes more conflict among us than necessary! Now, listen to me carefully.” Lorenz explained House Edmund’s situation to Claude in full detail. As if Claude hadn’t just been to a Roundtable meeting. But he let him talk if it really made him feel so important. “Do you find it acceptable to let such an obviously unreasonable objection stand?”

“It's not as if the threat of Almyra to the east has proven all that threatening of late.” Of course, that wasn’t a coincidence.

However, Lorenz did not have that knowledge. Claude’s words only offended him. “Such negligence! What makes you so certain the Almyrans will not attack us tomorrow?! If certain dukes hold back their proper share of support, it will only serve to weaken House Goneril's hold of our eastern flank!”

“Calm yourself. I am well aware that the financial situation of House Edmund is quite exceptional.” The only way to satisfy Lorenz was to explain. Explain the situation of House Edmund. “Are you aware that Margrave Edmund paid the majority of the costs for those repairs?”

Lorenz’s face loosened as his eyes grew. This was information he was missing. “Is that so?” 

Claude continued in hopes of wrapping up the conversation. “In fact, it's largely thanks to the skilled craftsmen he assembled that the fortress is now so impregnable. I, for one, wouldn't want to attack a fortress as formidable as that.” That was the truth. In fact, Hilda had inspired him to write a letter to someone about that fortress.

“I do see your point. If House Edmund has already made its fair contribution, then that is all we can ask. Very well, I withdraw my objection. But even the sturdiest fortress needs soldiers to defend it. If we continue to squabble amongst ourselves, it will eventually fall.” Just like that, Lorenz was gone.

This wasn’t what Claude had expected. “Well, well. And here I thought he only cared about status... Still, if someone like him really came to lead the Alliance, it would not bode well for Almyra.” Everytime he thought his dream was one step closer, reality would pull him back three steps. He suddenly yearned to hear Hilda say those words to him again.

* * *

Claude spent some time discussing books with Linhardt. He handed a few books he had over to him for his research. It was nice to have someone who had an equal interest in the subjects. Claude wasn’t sure if Hilda had any real interest but she had offered to help. With the mage’s help he was able to discuss a few theories. There was a mutual exchange between them. Once Linhardt grew tired of talking, Claude continued his work by himself.

Hours passed with two thick books being completed. His head started to ache at all the stories. The Sword of the Creator was real so these stories had to hold some truth. But the more he read the more outlandish everything sounded to him. Was all of this really tru-

“Um, Claude?”

“Hm?” Claude peeled his eyes from the books to see Marianne standing before him. This is the first time she has ever approached him. “Oh, Marianne! Have the gods taken pity on my lost soul and revealed a sign to me?”

Marianne stared at him with large eyes.

The silly response he gave wasn’t working with her. “I've been researching the Ten Elites of Fódlan, but I can't tell fact from fiction…” His explanation didn’t seem to register with Marianne. “Anyhow, what can I help you with?”

“Well, um... I found this pendant, and I think it's yours.” Marianne opened her hand and placed a pendant on the table.

Claude took one look at it to recognize it. “Ah, right you are. Honestly, I'd resigned myself to never seeing it again. It's a keepsake from my uncle, who's passed on. If I'd truly lost it, my grandfather would have had my head. Thanks for returning it to me, Marianne. You saved my tail.”

Marianne’s eyes fell back to the ground. “Please, it was nothing. I should be—”

“No, I think that's enough researching for today. Why don't you join me for a nice chat?” This could be a nice chance to finally talk to her.

Marianne shook her head. “I just came to deliver the pendant.”

She wasn’t making any eye contact. “Sounds awfully lonely to only talk to those whom you have business with. Do you really dislike talking to people that much?”

“It's just... I never know what to say. I'm sorry.” Had she not realized that she was saying things even though it was to protest?

Not that she could see him smiling, he still gave one. “No need to apologize. We'll figure it out as we go. Tell me, are you like this with your father too?” He couldn’t help but ask. Especially after the Roundtable meeting he had just attended. Margrave Edmund would go back and forth with Count Gloucester. “Within the Alliance, Margrave Edmund is prone to debate. With a father like that, I would have thought…”

“Margrave Edmund is my adoptive father.” It was a blunt statement with new information.

“Oh, is he? I didn't know. Where were you born?” Maybe Marianne was more similar to him.

“That is none of your concern.” Another blunt statement. Marianne paused to finally lift her eyes up a little. “I, um, I really must be going.” She left like a blur.

Claude clicked his tongue. “She's hiding something, that much is clear. But that just makes me all the more desperate to know her secrets!”

Even with his hunger to find out her secret, the feeling in his gut grew. Marianne wasn’t one to talk. He was pushing too much to get her to talk. Tomorrow he would give an apology and maybe a little pep talk.

* * *

Next week was their mission. The Black Eagles were beginning preparations for their trip. Hilda meant it when she told the professor that interesting things were happening ever since he showed up. Their mission was so boring compared to what they were doing. “Hey Claude.” Hilda dangled her hand over the edge of the bed.

“Hm?” She could see the top of his head sitting still from the bed. He had decided to sit on the floor while she occupied his bed.

“Do you get the feeling that Lady Rhea is purposely giving professor Byleth all the exciting missions?” He didn’t respond right away. After a few seconds, Hilda decided to continue. “It seems weird to me that he suddenly gets a teaching job after saving you, Edelgard, and Dimitri. And every month he gets to have exciting missions.”

Claude finally lifted his head and turned around to face her. “And last month he finds the Sword of the Creator and can wield it like Nemesis.”

After all the reading and note taking they did, they found nothing new. It was all the same history in every book they could get their hands on. Hilda now understood why Claude was so interested in Seteth discarding books. Maybe that’s why they were so fruitless. Hilda couldn’t help but lay in his bed as he continued reading. “Exactly. It feels like Lady Rhea knows something. But maybe I’m taking note of nothing.”

“Perhaps.” Claude stood up and stretched. “The only thing that’s different is that the Sword of the Creator that teach has is missing the Crest stone.” He slowly sat down at the end of the bed that was being occupied with her feet. “I got to see Failnaught one time. The Crest stone was there. My grandfather keeps it locked away for safekeeping.”

“Holst has Freikugel. I’ve never seen it up close and I don’t think I ever will.” It was a giant axe that looked like a fan. It was why Goneril’s had to learn how to wield an axe from a young age.

“Why do you say that?” Claude brought his legs up onto the bed and crossed them.

Hilda moved her legs a little so they weren’t rubbing against his back. “There’s no way I’m going to become the head of House Goneril. That’s Holst’s job.”

“You don’t think he would ever give Freikugel to his sweet warrior princess sister?” The tone he used was almost mocking her.

Hilda scowled at him and gave a gentle kick. Claude kept smiling as she jostled him. “Being head of House Goneril means I would have to learn about politics and guard Fodlan’s Locket. That’s a lot of work.”

“Oh forgive me Hilda. For I have forgotten that you are a delicate flower.” Of course he was teasing her.

“Not only that, but that means I would have to attend Roundtable meetings.” The image of sitting in a room with all the other Alliance nobles who argued made her shudder.

“You wouldn’t want to join the Leicester Alliance Roundtable meetings?” Hilda shook her head to answer. Claude clutched at his chest. “Not even when I become the leader of the Alliance?”

Hilda rolled her eyes. “Oh Claude. When you become the leader of the Alliance you’ll be able to find a real retainer.” She lifted her hand up to inspect her nails. “This delicate flower needs to rest after the academy year ends.” This was less of a joke. She really had no intention of being his retainer after they graduated. This was some job thrown onto her right before she left home.

Now feigning an injury, Claude leaned back while clutching his chest. “I’m hurt. You wouldn’t want to join me in Derdriu?”

The question made her pause. It wasn’t something she had thought about. The plans that were made were for her to return back home. To continue living her life by getting others to do her work. The possibility of going to Derdriu with Claude wasn’t a future she had thought of. More likely than not, he was probably joking as usual. “Maybe I’ll come to do some shopping.”

“I’ll have the markets empty of other people just for you princess.” He couldn’t even finish the sentence before breaking into a chuckle. Hilda rolled her eyes as she gently pushed his back with her foot.

They gazed at each other for a bit. It was a little longer than normal but to her this was normal now. Their odd way of holding eye contact as if they were both trying to dig into each other’s minds. She really did want to know more about him. Staring at him wasn’t going to give her the answer but it was a wish of hers.

Hilda broke the gaze first by pushing herself up from the bed. Adjusting her position so she lay on her side to prop her head onto her hand. “All this research is making my head hurt. Why don’t you tell me a story.”

Claude shifted to have his body facing her. “What kind of story?”

At the beginning of the month he had told her about being tied up to a horse. It was enough to drive her curiosity crazy. That one story was so absurd that she couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Do you have any more childhood stories?”

It didn’t take long for Claude to think of one. He began telling a story of the time he played a dangerous game of hide and seek. As the story went on, she would find herself asking questions. It became more obvious that he grew up outside of Fodlan. The places he described were not from the Alliance. She had never given it a lot of thought about where he had come from. Everyone else had already given him a hard time about that. Especially Lorenz. For now listening to his stories would have to be enough.

* * *

The Black Eagles returned late again. Their bodies sulked as they dragged themselves back into the monastery. Professor Byleth had invited Sylvain to join on their mission. The Blue Lions silently pulled him away from the Black Eagles.

The Sword of the Creator and Lance of Ruin were being held in professor Byleth’s hands. The knight named Gilbert marched ahead to Rhea while Byleth lingered behind. He eventually made his way to the audience chamber.

Claude followed behind for another chance to eavesdrop. Once he heard enough of what Rhea said, he left for the library. As he pushed past the doors to the library any thoughts he had were cut short. Hilda was already sitting at one of the tables with a pile of books.

* * *

Hilda watched as Claude slowly made his way to her table. For the first time she could see genuine confusion on his face. Before the words could come out from his gaping mouth, she cut in. “I saw you follow the professor.” For once, Claude didn’t have anything to say. Hilda rested her chin on her hand. “So what did they talk about?”

Claude didn’t have a chance to process the story himself. She didn’t blame him. Sylvain’s brother turned into something called a Black Beast after wielding the Lance of Ruin. It made sense why the Black Eagles looked like they saw a monster. It’s because they had.

“There must be some connection. If there isn’t that means anyone who uses a Heroes’ Relic would turn into a monster.” They both shivered at the thought. After all, most of the nobles had Heroes’ Relics. “It could be an aspect of the Heroes’ Relics.”

“Stories of misfortune have followed the Heroes' Relics since ancient times.”

Claude jumped at the voice. Hilda snapped her head over to see the hobbling old man standing next to them. “Tomas! You've caught me by surprise.” His tone suddenly became more formal. “That's not easy to do. Though I suppose I should've expected to see our librarian in his library.”

Tomas let out a chuckle. “I am sorry to intrude. I simply heard you speaking of the Heroes' Relics. I can tell you more about them, if you'd like.” Claude and Hilda furiously nodded. Anything that would lead them to some kind of answer so she could get some rest. Tomas nodded at them. “The story goes that Nemesis was corrupted by evil because of the Sword of the Creator. Other Heroes also lost themselves by continuing to use the Relics… Transforming into Black Beasts with twisted souls. There used to be a great many records regarding the dark history of the Relics.”

This was all new information. Nothing in the books they had read mentioned this. Claude slowly stood from his chair. “Used to be?”

Tomas waved his hand around in the air. “They have been destroyed, across all of Fódlan. Stripped from their shelves, including those that resided at this very library.”

“You make it sound like the church is covering up the truth.” He already knew that Seteth was discarding books. But now that Tomas was saying it outloud, everything seemed to shift. “Hey Tomas... Why are you telling us all this?”

“It seemed like you were searching for answers about the Relics. What is a librarian if not a guide in the search for knowledge. And not only have you been searching, but you have been doing so through the night.” Claude gulped at the words. This was something Hilda didn’t know about. Then again, she would always just go to bed after she grew tired. “I would suggest you stop before the knights notice. And that is enough meddling for today. Please excuse me.” Tomas hobbled away to attend to a cart of returned books.

Claude sat back down and shook his head. “So I've been found out, have I? I suppose I do spend more time at the library than most students. But I won't stop.” His hand reached out for a book.

Hilda shot hers out and grasped his hand. “Claude.” Her eyes were fixed on his. Watching as the storm brewed in his mind. “Why are you doing all this research? What are you going for?”

Claude didn’t break her stare. He gave a weak attempt at a smile. “Hilda… You don't really expect me to tell you something so personal like that, do you?” For some reason the words shot through her chest. Had their time together meant nothing? What was the point if he didn’t trust her? She didn’t dare break her gaze. “For now that’s a secret.”

“I can't let this exchange pass without comment…” Edelgard now stood behind Claude. Hilda let go of his hand, finally breaking her hold on him to look at the princess. “If you're sharing secrets, perhaps I can share one as well?”

“Are you sure you could survive that?” In a snap, the whimsical smirk was back on his face. Claude turned around in his seat to look up at Edelgard. “I'd say you're the least likely to share secrets out of everyone at the academy.”

“Heh heh, coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment.” It was rare to see Edelgard smile like that. “After all, you're easily the student with the most secrets.”

“I'm afraid you overestimate me. My secrets don't amount to much.” Claude turned to face Hilda again. “So Hilda-”

“Don't try to change the subject, Claude. We're talking about secrets. Yours.” Her pointed voice hit Claude in the back. Hilda watched as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Edelgard continued without a pause. “Who is your father? And why did you appear so suddenly, as if from nowhere? Duke Riegan's eldest son died in an accident. Having tragically lost other family members as well, he was without an heir. The Alliance would undoubtedly have been shaken if House Riegan had lost its position of leadership. But then you showed up. Why did you return to House Riegan? What brought you to the monastery?”

Edelgard didn’t hold back. It was a barrage of questions. The same questions she had heard other nobles of the Alliance ask. Including her father, Holst, and Lorenz. She was sure all the nobles in the Alliance had asked those questions. It was what all the whispers were about whenever she listened. Her blood was boiling as her stomach clenched. Why couldn’t they just leave him be?

Hilda shot up from her chair. Before she could register what her body was doing, she walked over to Edelgard and stood in front of her. It didn’t matter that she was shorter. Right now she felt like towering over the future empress. “Claude doesn’t have to answer you. All that matters is that he is the heir to House Riegan.” Edelgard’s lips sat thinly pursed. She could have stopped there. But the next set of words left her mouth before she could stop.

* * *

“And seeing how I am his retainer, I ask you to back off.”

The two were now in a deathlock. Hilda shoving her fire into Edelgard’s face. While Edelgard kept her calm rage under wraps.

Claude didn’t need the two axe wielding princesses to start a fight. But it was hard to move. Hilda’s words weren’t a show. She had said every word with a passion that she hid from others. This wasn’t the time to ponder her actions. Claude got up and sighed as loudly as he could. “Alas...to be surrounded by women as lovely as flowers, only to be pricked by their thorns.”

Hilda and Edlegard both paused their deathlock to look at him. Perfect. Hilda’s eyes still danced with fire. Maybe he could let them both know a little bit. “My dream, in truth, is a selfless dream. But I require power to make it a reality. When I learned about the power of my Crest, I knew I had a chance. So I'm chasing that dream. To the bitter end, if need be. I came to this monastery because I thought I might find someone useful. Someone to help me on my path.” Hilda’s face softened but Edelgard remained sharp. “So, what do you think? If you promise to help me achieve my dream no matter what, I'll promise to tell you anything.” It was a dangerous offer. He wasn’t ready to actually tell Edelgard anything. He wasn’t even ready to tell Hilda.

Edelgard shook her head. “I have my own dream to tend to. I pray that yours does not interfere with mine.”

“What about you, Hilda?” Another test. Hilda had shown her passion just now. He needed to know her answer.

Hilda looked up at him. The corners of her lips turned up and her eyes closed into a crescent moon as she smiled. “I’ll always help you Claude. No matter what.”

The ache in his chest balled up and bloomed like a flower. He searched her face for any tell. None of her usual quirks showed. Hilda meant what she said. And she meant it with her whole heart.


	9. Horsebow Moon 1180

Horsebow Moon was supposed to be a fun and festive month for the Alliance. Instead, students were running around the monastery searching for clues. This time it wasn’t just the two of them looking for answers. Everyone was trying to look for answers.

By the time Hilda and Claude walked from the dorms to the classrooms, they passed most of the Golden Deer on their own searches. Dimitri and Edelgard were in their respective classrooms talking with any students who came in.

The classrooms were too stuffy. The yard in front of the classes had the most traffic. It was ideal for watching and listening. So Claude and Hilda stood outside in the yard by the doors to the reception hall. Multiple students had passed by. For the first time since the year started, Hilda heard their whispers wonder about someone other than Claude.

Professor Byleth stopped to talk for a bit. Claude only gave a slice of his thoughts to the professor. Hilda just mentioned Flayn possibly running away from her overbearing brother. As if they had agreed upon this before, they both only repeated what was said between each other earlier that day. The professor didn’t stay long before running off to go meet with other people.

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen him look worried.” Hilda thought out loud as usual. She knew Claude would respond to her thoughts.

“I agree.” He stretched his arms up to place his hands behind his head. “I wonder if he’ll figure this one out like how he did with the assasination note.”

Hilda only sighed. She didn’t particularly care to put in too much effort this month. Everyone’s missions had changed last minute when the news broke out. Someone was bound to find Flayn with the whole monastery looking. “Tomorrow is the Alliance’s Founding day. We probably won’t get to celebrate.”

Claude clicked his tongue. “A shame. I was hoping to eat the grand feast Garreg Mach was going to provide tomorrow.”

“You really do like eating.” This wasn’t the first time she had heard about his love of eating. The professor had invited them to lunch before and Claude couldn’t help but bring it up. “It’s not like the food here would have been the same as Derdriu.”

“True but a celebration is a celebration.” There was a flicker of a smile. Not the smile he always wore but a different kind. “Perhaps we can just have our own small celebration,” Claude blinked as if to finish the sentence. The pause was so short she didn’t get a chance to speak up. “With the rest of the Golden Deers.”

From memory, Hilda could only remember seeing Lorenz at previous Alliance Founding Day ceremonies. Claude had only been to the one last year. “We might not be able to have a grand ball with dancing, but it would be nice for us to all celebrate.”

“Perfect.” The smile on his face returned to how it usually looked. “Shall we continue to look for Flayn?”

The change in subject was a little abrupt. Hilda nodded to answer. It wasn’t too far-fetched for him to change the subject. But she did wonder what he was trying to say before.

* * *

The dinner for the Alliance Founding day was as spectacular as he pictured it to be. Leonie and Lorenz were fighting about proper etiquette on one end while Raphael gorged next to them. Hilda was chatting with Lysithea and Marianne explaining how she took care of her hair. Claude didn’t expect Lysithea to be drawn into the conversation, but she seemed to be taking note of the products Hilda used.

The professor had joined them as well. This was Claude’s golden opportunity. A chance to speak with him. To try and learn about him. There was still an ache in his chest that he had chosen the Black Eagles. Claude spent the little time he had to try and pry open the professor’s mind. The first thing to figure out was why he decided to join their dinner amidst the chaos. The only reason Hilda was able to get everyone to come to the dinner was by using his birthday as a grim reminder. Once she started the crying, everyone decided to join.

Even with the professor having his full attention, Claude couldn’t help but glance down the table. Hilda was smiling and laughing along with everyone. It was a shame she couldn’t thrive in a real party.

* * *

In the end, Claude gained no new information. The professor was as stoic as ever. He talked more compared to when they first met, but it wasn’t enough. It was evident that he didn’t know what was going on either. Having grown up without any of the church’s influence, he was still learning the inner workings of Fodlan.

Marianne and Ignatz were the first to excuse themselves. After that, each of the Golden Deers would finish up to leave. Even the professor left to follow the rest of the deers. In the end, Claude and Hilda were left. When the two left the dining hall, the voices of the Golden Deer could be heard by the dorms. A small group was still talking before turning to bed. The professor was listening to each one. Silently nodding and smiling.

Hilda covered her mouth as she yawned. Claude followed her eyes watching the professor. He joined her in watching him talk with Raphael, Ignatz, Leonie, and Lorenz. Lysithea bowed out to her room and Marianne surprisingly stayed behind. They were all keeping their eyes on him. They were all showing interest as well.

“Teach sure is popular.” He needed to get the words out. Something to keep the wheels in his mind from turning too much.

“He sure is.” Hilda agreeing with him was comforting as ever. Perhaps she saw something beyond professor Byleth’s stoic face.

They were silent again. Watching as the professor talked with everyone else. The way his face seemed to brighten with the Golden Deer around him. Claude couldn’t help but wonder if he was like that with the Black Eagles. He certainly wasn’t like that with him during dinner. “So Hilda,” He needed to stop thinking. “Was this the celebration you dreamed of?”

Hilda giggled, giving him a lopsided smile. “It was nice to have everyone together for dinner but-”

“Do you want to dance?” It was a direct question. One that finished her thoughts and answered her wishes.

“Of course I do!” The moonlight caught the shimmer in her eyes. “But where?”

“How about at the gazebo? Most students won’t be passing by at this hour.” He would let her wonder if he had planned this out. For now, he presented it as a mere observation.

“Lead the way.” Hilda lifted her right hand with her palm down. Claude smiled as he cupped his left hand underneath.

They quickly swept back into the dining hall, through the courtyard, and to the gazebo. Still grasping her hand, Claude bowed just as he had the year before, then lifted their hands up and out. This time he didn’t need her to help to guide him. His right hand was already resting on her back as her hand rested on his shoulder.

Then they danced. There was no music to accompany them. Just the stars and the light of the moon. Soon their giggling filled the gazebo. Claude still found himself stumbling to keep up with Hilda. “Well Miss Goneril, would you say my dancing has improved?”

Hilda’s laughter filled his ears. He lifted his left arm and watched her spin under. When she returned back into position she finally answered. “Mister Riegan it’s been a year and you still have two left feet.”

It was the answer he expected but it still made him chuckle. “Perhaps I can take some dance lessons from you.” Just as he finished saying that, his right foot struck her left foot.

“I think you need a truly proper noble to teach you. Such as Lorenz Hellman Gloucester.” She was basically purring. Taunting him with the idea of spending time with Lorenz.

“Do you wish for me to learn the art of snobbery from him?” Claude lifted his head to turn his nose up. “Is this the proper way to look down on those beneath me.”

Hilda rolled her eyes. “I think I prefer you the way you are. Looking up is better than down.”

Claude took his eyes off Hilda to look up. The roof of the gazebo met his eyes. “Is this better?”

As his eyes were on the gazebo roof, he felt their steps and pace slow. Glancing down he could see Hilda gazing up at him. It was the same gentle fawn-like gaze she gave him last year accompanied with the tiniest smile. “Much better.”

They weren’t dancing anymore but they held on as if they still were. Hilda’s grip tightened around his shoulder. Claude could feel her lean into him. Her chest just brushed up against his. It suddenly became hard to breathe. The lump in his throat grew with the silence.

“Thank you Claude.” Hilda was almost whispering. “For the dance.”

He quickly swallowed the air stuck in his throat. “Would you call this an adequate Alliance Founding Day celebration?”

Hilda hummed before answering, drawing out time before she responded. “I guess I’ll have to visit you in Derdriu next year with the rest of the Golden Deer for a proper celebration.”

“Really? You would come all the way to Derdriu to see me?” The stale air began to stir again as he beamed. “After you said you didn’t want to join me in Derdriu.”

Now she was rolling her eyes and scoffing at him. “It’s getting late. We should go to bed.”

Before he could say anything, Hilda’s grip fell from his shoulder. Still holding his left hand, she pulled him out of the gazebo. Only after crossing the gates did she slip her hand out from his. Claude distracted himself by continuing to tease Hilda about visiting him in the distant future. The group talking to professor Byleth was gone as they passed by where they had gathered.

Even with his playful banter, his mind couldn’t stop wandering. Wandering and wondering about Flayn, the professor, and when he would have a chance to grasp Hilda’s hand again.

* * *

Hilda spent most of the month searching for Flayn with the rest of the students. The past two months she had spent most of her time with Claude, she barely had a chance to be with anyone else. There was finally time to finish the necklaces she wanted to make for Leonie and Raphael’s sister. Lysithea even got a few lessons from her on how to appear more mature and older, though she gave up before the lesson ended. Not only that, but her next letter to Holst could be written tonight after her conversation with Lorenz just now.

Even with being graced an opportunity to talk more with the Golden Deers, she felt the empty space next to her. It’s not like Claude was gone. He was roaming the monastery doing the same thing as her. Perhaps she would visit him tonight after helping clean up the infirmary.

Cleaning. Working. The last thing she wanted to do was to clean and work. But professor Manuela wasn’t around. The knights had asked her to bring in new supplies since she was in the Golden Deer class.

The boys she asked to help move the boxes of new supplies walked in as she cleared a shelf. The timing was impeccable. It took no time to get them to move and lift the heavy boxes into place. Not a single finger of hers had to be lifted.

“You've been an enormous help! Thanks so much!” The boys smiled back and waved their goodbyes. Now she could leave and go visit-

“E-excuse me.” Marianne walked past the boys who were leaving with a box in her arms. “I have some more supplies that just arrived for the infirmary.”

Her timing couldn’t be more flawed. “Oh, there were more? I thought I'd gotten them all.”

Marianne was looking down at the box in her arms. “I just have bandages and other small things, but there might be more coming.”

More supplies than what Marianne had? “Well, I just got the boys to bring in the heavy bottles.” Hilda scanned the shelves to see them packed. “Looks like we can't fit all of it without some rearranging though. You know, if you'd arrived earlier, you could have helped me tidy up.”

“My apologies.”

“I don't really need your apologies. I need your help.”

“Oh, OK. How can I help?” Marianne finally looked up at her.

“How can you help? I said "tidy up," didn't I? See the shelves there? See if you can clear out some space and tuck away the bandages.” Hilda didn’t mean to be harsh on her but her plans for tonight were slowly being chipped away.

“I can try…”

Marianne turned to the shelf with the box still in her hands. Hilda watched her trembling hands as she put the box down. The library incident played in her head as Marianne tried to move some bottles to the side. In a blink bandages were falling on the floor with bottles of medicine tipping out of the shelves.

In a few hours everything she had cleaned was cleaned up again. The sun had dipped below the horizon. Any plans she had for tonight were gone in a flash. Hilda sighed as the last bottle was put back on the shelf. “So, in the end, I did it all by myself.”

Marianne’s head was hanging again, looking at the ground her feet stood on. “I'm sorry that I was no help. I just got in your way.”

No matter how hard she dug, Hilda couldn’t find the anger. Annoyance maybe but not anger. “It's fine. We'll even it out with pastries.”

“You want me to get you pastries? I guess I can.” Hilda didn’t expect Marianne to perk up so suddenly. Her brown eyes wide in their own shock.

“You seem so thoughtful and composed, but you're surprisingly clumsy. It's such an odd mix, I practically have no choice but to take over for you.” The annoyance was no longer lingering around. The same wanting from when Claude first showed up to help clean her room arose in her chest.

“You're right... I'm sorry.” Marianne’s downcast eyes returned as she apologized.

“Don’t apologize.” If only Marianne could lift her head up more. “Here it’s late. Let’s go back to our rooms. We have class tomorrow.”

This wasn’t what she had planned but walking back to the dorms with Marianne was nice. The empty space by her sides was now filled with Marianne’s presence. She listened as Hilda gabbed about needing to write a letter back to Holst. Being with Marianne didn’t seem as bad as she first thought. There would have to be more opportunities to help her in the future. A near future to look forward to.

* * *

Claude climbed up the stairs to get back to his room. The month was almost over and there was still no sign of Flayn. It didn’t help that professor Manuela was gone these past few days. A very annoyed professor Hanneman had taken upon himself to also teach the Golden Deer while professor Manuela was gone.

At least he was able to go outside for a bit. Some men from the monastery were going out hunting this month. He had spotted Leonie going out to join and had decided to catch up with her. Not just Leonie, but the past month he was able to catch up with the other Golden Deers. Even Lorenz was willing to have a conversation with him, albeit it was brief and he still had a sharp tongue. But even with Lorenz’s jabs, Claude found it more amusing now to talk with him.

He could feel a phantom Hilda hanging by his sides. The past two months were spent with her nearby. It’s not like he wasn’t seeing her. Classes and activities continued as normal, but extra time wasn’t spent together.

“Oh hey Claude.”

Now he could hear her voice. Claude shook his head as he gently knocked on it with his wrist. Perhaps he needed to go to bed earlier today.

“Hello Claude are you there?”

Claude looked to his right to see Hilda gently bumping into him. Her arms were full with a small bundle. He wasn’t making up the voice he heard. “Hey Hilda. Whatcha got there?”

Hilda smiled at the bundle she held. “Marianne got me some pastries.” Sure enough, once Claude looked up, he saw that Hilda had stepped out of Marianne’s room and not hers. “Do you want some?”

“Oh to share a bunch of lovely pastries from Marianne with you would be an hon-” Claude couldn’t finish the rest of his words. Hilda sighed loudly as her eyes rolled. Her head cocked to the side and that lopsided smile appeared. She gestured to him to follow her up the small flight of stairs to her room.

This was the first time he was in her room since Lone Moon. Claude instinctively scanned her room. Certain things had moved around since then such as the vanity set. The desk had unfinished accessories littering it while the small jewelry drawers sat half opened. Surprisingly, a set of books occupied the cabinets against the walls. He knew for a fact they didn’t belong to her. It was silly to be scanning her room like this but he couldn’t help it.

“I’m glad I ran into you. I don’t think I can eat all of these pastries.” Hilda had pulled the table by her bed out into the middle of the room. The bundle of pastries lay open to reveal a variety of different sweets. A steaming teapot with an ornate design sat with two cups by each other. “I feel like she asked Annette and Mercedes for help because this is a lot. Those two always do too much work.”

Claude pulled the chair from her desk up to the table. He almost gestured to her to sit down but saw her plop onto the bed. He quickly slid into the chair, hoping she didn’t see him hesitate. “And what is the occasion to have this extraordinary tea time with you?” He watched her pour tea as she gently shook her head with feign exhaustion.

Hilda slid a cup over to him. The steam flying from the light brown liquid. “I helped Marianne clean the infirmary a few days ago and she paid me back in pastries.” Claude almost said something but lifting his eyebrow said enough. “Mister Riegan, will you just drink the tea and enjoy the pastries.”

The aroma of the tea grew stronger as he lifted the cup. The pine tickled his nose, sending a wave of comfort through his muscles. A wondrous familiar scent. “What kind of tea is this?”

“Holst said it was Almyran Pine Needles.” Hilda took a small sip from her cup. “He wrote that he got some from a merchant and insisted I have some.”

It took every ounce of restraint to keep from grinning. Claude pulled the cup up to his mouth in a poor attempt to hide his joy. Just the tiniest sip felt like an embrace. It had been far too long since he last had consumed any semblance of home. The simplest cup of tea was making his nerves dance. “Do you like it?”

Hilda took a few more sips to take in the taste. “I usually prefer fruitier teas. This is definitely something Holst would like.” She took in a deep breath of the pine before looking up at him. A flash of realization crossed her face. She was an expert at changing her facial expressions. There were so many times Claude caught a glimpse but wasn’t fast enough to examine what it meant. “You seem to enjoy this tea.”

He was caught. There was no use in hiding his indulgence as he gave her a smile. “I do enjoy it. It’s earthy and reminds me of when I would explore the woods as a kid.”

“I can give you the rest of the tea if you like it so much.”

It was such a simple treat. Just a simple cup of tea that every citizen in Fodlan seemed to partake in and socialize over. But hearing Hilda offer the rest of the tea to him made his heart jump. “I wouldn’t want to take Holst’s gift from you.”

Hilda shrugged, taking a pastry from the pile in the center. “Holst always sends me something with his letters. It’s no big deal for me to give you the rest of the tea. Besides,” Their eyes locked together as she finished the rest of the sentence with a grip on him. “You seem to really enjoy drinking this tea.”

There was no way this cup of tea revealed anything. Merchants travelled outside of Fodlan to bring in foreign goods all the time. Tea was basically a necessity in Fodlan. Enjoying a common Almyran tea didn’t mean anything. “Thank you Hilda. I will have to repay your kindness one day.” Claude couldn’t help it. Seeing Hilda’s weary head shake only made him want to continue.

“So tell me more about exploring the woods when you were a child.” There was wild curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Claude chuckled as she leaned in, waiting for another tale. “Well I grew up in a place with lots of open space. Our trees are more like bushes unlike the trees here.” The details were small. Fodlan was big enough where something like this wouldn’t arouse suspicion. Hilda listened intently while she munched on the pastries. His tales were never grandeur adventures but they were to Hilda. The itch to learn more about her grew as he finished the story of getting lost in a forest of short, bush like trees.

“Now that I told you a story, how about you tell me one.” A simple invitation to get a glimpse at her life.

Hilda thought for a second as her face scrunched up a bit. “Goneril territory is full of mountains and large forests. The trees there are way bigger than the ones around Garreg Mach.” The story she told was of a time she went for a walk in the forest with Holst and Blathus. The towering stack of muscles they had met not too long ago was shockingly here at Garreg Mach. The professor had discovered that the Abyss was home to a secret fourth house. It was strange to imagine Holst and Balthus as young boys protecting Hilda from a pack of monsters.

The pile of pastries was nearly gone by the time Hilda finished her story. The pot of tea was empty itself. Claude was sure he had drank most of it and desperately needed to go relieve himself. Hilda must have noticed as she sent him off without asking him to help clean up their little tea party.

Even though he had just spent time with her, the phantom spirit came back. Lingering by his sides.

* * *

Hilda finished cleaning the tiny tea party. Claude’s face occupied her mind the whole time. This was the first time she had ever seen his smile crack wide enough to show his teeth. It was only a simple pot of tea but he had almost drunk the whole pot by himself. She could see him begin to squirm in his seat from all the tea he drank. The bag of tea would have to be given to him another day since he bolted out of the room.

At least she knew what letter to write to Holst. If she didn’t do it now, she would forget to do it later. She had already forgotten to write the letter a few days ago, so now was the time to respond back to Holst. Hilda turned the chair to face her desk and sat down. She grabbed the ink pen and began to scribble across the paper.

_ Dear Holst, the tea was wonderful! Could you send me more? _

* * *

Edelgard was quickly walking past the tea garden with Hanneman carrying an unconscious Manuela as Claude listened to Lorenz drone on about tea. He had asked him about fruity teas and it turned into a lecture in the gardens with his own tea sets. Lorenz paused the lecture after seeing Manuela being carried off. They quickly gathered up the tea sets as panic crept through Garreg Mach.

By the afternoon sun it was reported that Flayn was found alongside a student named Monica. Claude waited for nightfall before going to the infirmary to check on professor Manuela and the others. He stopped before Seteth’s office to see Flayn standing out by the door. In his best attempt, Claude slipped back under the shadows cast by the moon.

Seteth’s voice was muffled but everything could be heard in the dead of night. “I believe the enemy may have been after Flayn's blood. The blood that flows through her veins is special. It is extremely rare...and extremely dangerous. If enemies who know the secret of Flayn's blood have appeared, our only option is to leave the monastery and go into hiding.”

That was enough for tonight. Claude watched as Flayn pushed through the door in protest. The conversation about blood was now over. This meant it was time for him to leave. It was too late to go to the library. All he could do was go to bed and wait for the sun to rise.


	10. Wyvern Moon 1180

The tense and panicked feeling disappeared from the monastery. Everyone was now preparing for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Professor Manuela was well enough to begin teaching again. However, she was not well enough to participate in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. She explained what had happened to her and assured them that Flayn had also recovered. The student Monica would be rejoining the Black Eagles house to finish the academy year to graduate.

It didn’t explain why Monica was running around the monastery by Edelgard’s side like a dog.

Monica was back for only a few days but something was wrong. When Hilda asked the professor, she proposed it as a guise to make others comfortable. When she asked Claude, it was more direct. “I think she sticks by Edelgard more than Hubert.”

Claude’s attention was on the chalkboard. A map of Gronder field took over the table she was sitting at with mini figurines scattered around. She could see the gears in his mind turning faster than usual. In a low hush Claude finally responded. “She really has been sticking to Edelgard. But…” Claude ran a hand through his hair. Grabbing clumps of it and gently ruffling it up. A low rumble of a groan came out of him. “I can’t think straight… There’s too many things happening…”

The muffled roar of wyverns came through the open classroom door and windows. They both looked out the giant window to see a small flight of wyverns flying overhead. Their wings flapping together to create a thunderous noise. Only a few wyverns would stay in the monastery as the rest migrated south. Claude’s sight lingered out the window even when the flight was no longer visible.

After a few seconds, he turned back to the chalkboard. Professor Manuela had written out a plan for their studies earlier that week. Hilda was on track with her agenda of sticking to one thing. House Goneril only expected her to use an axe. She didn’t even see herself weidling one in the future since Holst did all the work. Claude on the other hand had to pass the Lord class soon while working towards Wyvern Rider at the same time. Professor Manuela tried to dissuade him the other day, but Claude insisted he had to learn how to ride a wyvern.

Hilda looked behind her shoulder to see if anyone was in the class. The few students who had lingered around were now gone. Chatter was absent from the yard outside. “What else are you thinking about?” When she turned her head back, she could see his eyes darting around the room. Assessing the same thing she did.

“My studies, a scheme for Gronder,” he stepped over to the desk and placed his forearms on top of the map. Hilda could see dark bags under his eyes. “Crests, Flayn, Monica, the Death Knight, the Flame Emperor, Teach…” There was definitely more but Claude paused as his head drooped. “And dare I say I’m feeling a little homesick.”

Homesick.

Something Hilda didn’t necessarily feel. Holst was always sending letters from home. Always checking in on her and sending her gifts. It was almost like he was right here. When she did go back home, it would be to spend a wealth of free time. Home and Garreg Mach were almost no different. Claude’s forehead was now resting on the table. His body leaning uncomfortably into the table as he supported his own weight with his arms.

“Claude,” Saying his name caused him to turn and look at her. “Have you taken time to sleep?” She already knew the answer but she wanted him to say it.

“Why do you ask?” Typical. He wasn’t going to answer right away.

“Your face looks like death.” Hilda gently poked his cheek.

Claude broke into a soft chuckle. “Does it ruin my roguishly good looks?” That stupid grin was on his face, even if it was with only a fraction on the energy.

“Come on.” Hilda stood up and stretched. “Today’s our free day. Let’s take a nap.” She walked around the desk to stand next to him. “Looking at you exhausts me.”

“It appears I do not have the strength to get up.” Claude collapsed onto the table, spreading his arms out. “Oh Hilda you’ll have to carry me to my room.”

“No way.” Even though she had just said no, she grabbed his right arm and gently pulled him up. “I’ll brew you a cup of tea. Holst sent me Chamomile this time.”

Claude slowly stood up with her gentle pull. “Hilda is going to brew me a cup of Chamomile tea and bring me up to my room?”

Hilda rolled her eyes. “I’m only brewing tea. I’m still not carrying you to your room.” She slipped her arm under his to link them together. There was genuine fear he wouldn’t be able to make the walk without falling on his face. “Now let’s take a nap!” Claude returned her smile. A nap would be good for now. Even if she was worried about the same things as him. There would be time in the future to uncover it.

* * *

Claude was back in the library after classes. He was also back to losing sleep. The nap he took did wonders for a few days. The second his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light. When he woke up there was a pot of cold tea on his desk alongside the rest of the Chamomile tea flowers. Hilda had now given him two of his favorite teas without knowing it. He needed to repay her but he didn’t know when there would be time for another of Lorenz’s tea lectures any time soon. Perhaps he could make time tonight and leave when he grew tired of hearing Lorenz’s voice.

A large part of his mind knew that coming back to look at the same books would bring no new answers. Seteth kept the library’s collection tight with very few new books coming into the monastery. But if he kept looking maybe something would click together.

“You’re welcome.” The voice of a boy with the same tan skin as him cut through his thoughts. Claude put the book in hands back onto the shelf. Perhaps a nice chat with one of a similar background would clear his mind.

Claude walked out of the library to see Cyril turning the corner in the hallway. Since Blue Sea Moon, Claude had kept an eye on him. Once a servant for House Goneril, Rhea found favor in him and brought him to the monastery. He had been working under her ever since. Even becoming Shamir’s apprentice to learn how to fight to keep Rhea safe.

He casually followed up behind to try and catch up. Cyril was holding a bunch of rags in one hand and a bucket in the other. Diligent and hard working as ever. Claude cleared his throat once he was close enough. Cyril turned around to look up at him. “Hey there, Cyril. You're working hard as usual.”

Cyril shook his head. “Nah, just doing my job.”

“Rhea herself gives you your daily tasks, doesn’t she?” He needed to be direct. He noticed Cyril didn’t partake in any extra business. “The church employs a lot of people, but not too many of them can claim they get to speak with the archbishop every day. You should be proud of yourself. She must have truly valued your work ethic.”

The tactic didn’t work as Cyril’s demeanor didn’t change. “Hey, um, is that everything you wanted to say? 'Cause I'm kind of busy here.”

Needing to be even more direct wasn’t something Claude was used to. People usually needed the extra words before they opened up. “Actually, I was hoping to ask you about Rhea. There's so much we don't know about her, but I thought maybe you-”

Cyril cut in before he could finish. “Yeah, I know more about Lady Rhea than anybody. But why should I tell you anything about her?”

Not only did Cyril need no extra talk, he went for a direct punch. “So cold! Think about who you're talking to.” Perhaps reminding him of their kinship would have him open up a bit.

“Huh?” His eyebrows scrunched together. His mouth twisting into a frown at what he said. “What are you to me?”

Claude felt like the punchline of a joke was just around the corner. Examining Cyril’s face proved there wasn’t one. Only genuine confusion. “You... don't know who I am?”

“Course I do. You're Claude. Leader of the Leicester Alliance.”

“That's not what I mean... Well, never mind then.” If he didn’t know who he was, maybe they could connect in a different way. “Tell me... Don't you ever miss your homeland?”

“Almyra?” The confusion lifted only to be replaced with a bleak look.

“Yes, Almyra. Eh, judging by that expression, I'm guessing you're not terribly homesick.” It was the opposite of what he felt. Last week he had mentioned he was homesick to Hilda. Her expression showed the feeling wasn’t mutual.

“Life was a whole lot harder for me there than it's ever been around here.” Cyril looked down at his feet. “My dad and mom both died in the war, and there was nobody there to look after me. The king, he didn't do anything to help. So I had to survive by being smart. I had to stop being a kid real quick.”

Cyril didn’t go for a punch. He had just shot Claude with an arrow. Clean through his gut. “I'm sorry to hear that.”

“You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault.”

“Regardless of whose fault it is, I'm still sorry.” He searched for any glimpse of sorrow in Cyril’s face. The tone of his voice revealed nothing of the sort. “I'm sorry that I didn't even know that an acquaintance of mine was suffering. And sorry for asking a tactless question about your homeland. I should have known that was likely to bring back bad memories.”

“Nah, I get sad or mad when I think about it, but I'm used to it, so I don't mind any.” Cyril gave a shrug that was far too casual for his liking.

“I see that. Even still, I apologize for being careless.” Claude felt like he could keep apologizing to him. This was the fourth time he did in this one conversation.

“Ok, well... Thanks, Claude.” There was a pause. Cyril tilted his head to the side as he said his thoughts out loud. “If the king of Almyra was like you, maybe things would've been better. Maybe the king's not a bad person and just had other stuff to worry about, but that's not much of an excuse.”

Claude couldn’t help the quiet laugh he let out. Cyril wasn’t wrong. “If I ever meet the king of Almyra, I'll give him a stern talking-to on your behalf.” Maybe this would be the letter he would send home.

“Yeah, ok.” There was amusement in his voice. He didn’t think of his words seriously. “Anyway, I gotta get back to work. Buncha things to get done.”

“You really are on the other side now, aren't you? Huh.” This wasn’t how he expected the conversation to go. “Well, if nothing else, it's good of you to turn a blind eye to me.” Maybe it would be better if there wasn’t a shared kinship. Who knows what could happen in the future.

“I don't know what that means, but ok. Bye, Claude.” Cyril promptly left to finish whatever duties he had.

There was already a long list of things occupying Claude’s mind. Another concern was just added to it. Too many things were piling on top of each other. Maybe another long nap was needed and a re-evaluation of his priorities.

* * *

Hilda was standing by the stables to fulfill Marianne’s request. She had asked her to cover her duties for today due to a stomach ache. Even specifically asking her to give Dorte some extra attention. Hilda didn’t care for horses but Marianne had become friends with this one horse. The least she could do was help her and fulfill the request.

Looking up, she spotted Cyril coming over with a broom in hand. He must have been going around on his usual cleaning routine. “Ah, Cyril. Cleaning again, I see.”

Cyril whipped his head up only to bare a visible scowl. “Hilda! You're in the way. Move it.”

He was harsh to her last time. The difference now was that she expected it. Hilda ignored it and moved on. “I'm supposed to refill the horses' water troughs, but I can't find the buckets. I was told that they'd be in the "usual place." What's the "usual place"?”

“Maybe you'd know where that is if you did your job sometime.”

Another strong jab in the gut. He really had a way with words. This only meant she had to turn up the charm. “You know, Cyril, I don't want to interrupt you while you're cleaning, but—”

Cyril just shook his head. “Come on. The buckets are over near the wall...where they always are...because I put them there.” He gestured to her to follow him.

“Ok.” Hilda followed behind him. It would be rude to leave him with all the work. Afterall, she promised Marianne that she would do this.

Without wasting a second, Cyril brought her to the buckets. Showing her where everything was and how to do the work. They filled the buckets to the brim with water. Hilda watched as Cyril hauled a bucket across the stables to the water troughs. There was no way she was going to lug a full bucket over there. She dumped half of the water into a different bucket before following Cyril’s lead. The sun was falling down the horizon by the time all the water troughs were filled.

Hilda put the bucket down back in the usual spot. Cyril placed his bucket next to hers. There was minimal sweat since she only carried buckets that were half full. She turned to him to give her thanks. “Thanks for your help! You're pretty strong. I bet you're tired though. Come on, let's rest a bit.”

Cyril nodded a little. “Ok. Just for a minute though. I got more work to do.”

They both walked over to the tables to take a seat. For a few seconds the silence was fine but it turned into a painful break. Hilda tapped the table eyeing Cyril as he wiped his hands with a rag. “I'm not a fan of awkward silences. Anything interesting happen lately?”

“Figured you were the one with something to say.” He looked up from wiping his hands up. Giving her a quick shrug. “Quiet don't bother me.”

It’s not like she spoke with Cyril often but he was keen. Truth was, ever since last time she had a hard time with coming up with topics to discuss with Cyril. She needed something… safe. “I need an interesting topic for this letter I'm writing to my brother. I'm stumped.”

“Your brother write to you a lot?”

Hilda nodded. “Constantly, yeah. He must be bored. He's always going on about how worried he is for me. What's worse, if I take too long to reply, he gets more worried and writes more about it!” She had missed writing back a few times and wanted to desperately avoid it.

“Write about your life, maybe. Ya know, stuff like, "I got real lazy again today."” Cyril threw the rag over his shoulder. “Or maybe, "Can you believe I still don't know where they put the water buckets?"”

His words delivered a blow to her gut. “You're mean. Do you really think that little of me?” It didn’t matter that the scowl he gave was going to leave behind wrinkles.

He returned the scowl. “You're a lazy gal who gets people to do her work for her. I never knew anybody like that in Almyra.”

There was no one as lazy as her in Almyra? She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit this was something she wanted to know more about. “Oh, really? So, Lady Rhea isn't the only difference between Fódlan and Almyra after all?”

“I don't like comparing Lady Rhea with you, but I figure you're right.” That was a fair statement. Lady Rhea was important to Fodlan. Working day and night for the church and the people. Hilda only wanted to do things she liked and live an easy life.

Her attention snapped back to Cyril as he mumbled a few more words. “Sorry, what was that?”

“Nothing worth repeating. Anyway, I gotta get back to work.” Cyril got up from his seat and left.

Hilda lingered after Cyril left. He was such a diligent boy. Not wanting to waste time resting and getting back to work. She couldn’t think of anyone from Fódlan who worked that hard. After some more pondering, Hilda finally got up. She would write about Cyril in her next letter to Holst.

* * *

Claude finally passed the Lord class. Which meant he could move on and focus on the class he cared most about. He carefully gripped the training axe with his two hands. It felt odd to hold a weapon with two hands. He had spent most of his life training with small weapons and a bow. That was the reason why an extremely tired and irritated Hilda stood in front of him lazily holding a training axe. If he hadn’t offered to go into town to buy her something, he was sure that axe would have been used against him.

Hilda didn’t try to cover her yawn. It was an action he wanted to share but he did his best to stifle it. Even in her exhausted state she took the time to put her hair up in pigtails. “Your left hand has to hold the bottom of the grip. Don’t grab the pommel.” She placed her left hand back down onto the axe. “And your right hand has to be in the middle of the haft.” Her right hand came under the belly of the haft. Claude followed her lead and readjusted his grip.

The next few hours were spent learning how to wield an axe from Hilda. Every muscle in Claude’s body ached but by noon was able to knock a dummy down. It was going to take a while for the feeling of a two handed weapon to become natural. Claude took a stance in front of another dummy. Angling the axe to meet the dummy’s chest. He took in a deep breath as he lifted his arms up to his head. Keeping in mind what Hilda said, he used his right hand to guide the swing as the edge of the axe smacked the dummy. Another successful dummy hit.

“Not bad.” Hilda walked over, dragging the axe behind her. “Next time you can try with an iron axe.” With only her right hand holding the haft, she brought the axe up to her side. The axe was a blur as she slashed the dummy’s stomach in half. They were both using the wood training axes and yet her swing was devastating. “But I’m hungry and tired.” She shot a glare at him.

Claude smiled back. He leaned into the grounded axe to meet her eye level. “Is our delicate flower tired from ripping apart that dummy?”

Hilda leaned in and flicked his forehead. “I’m tired from training this dummy.”

The flick to his forehead wasn’t anything serious. But Claude threw his head back feigning injury. “My head! My wonderous head!” He dramatically flung his hand to his forehead. “How will I be able to come up with my schemes now?”

“More schemes from you? Are you planning something to help you win this time?”

Claude knew that elegant voice anywhere and last time it was near Hilda, the library was almost destroyed. “Why hello your highness.” He gave a deep bow. “And I believe you misheard me. Hilda has damaged my precious mind. I don’t think I’ll be able to come up with a scheme now.” He peeked over at Hilda to see her rolling her eyes.

Edelgard made her way over to them with Hubert staying put by the door. “I heard you only recently passed the Lord class. Are you already working towards a different class?”

“Of course.” He gave her a lazy grin. “I only passed the Lord class for this month. My true ambitions lay elsewhere.”

“Is that so?” Edelgard propped a hand under her chin. Her eyes analyzed the way he leaned on the axe. “I don’t know of a class that requires knowledge in both bow and axe.” Her questions were always so pointed. “Unless there is one from where you come from.”

He knew this was going to come up. It didn’t sting any less. It seemed like everyone had figured he wasn’t from Fodlan. As long as they didn’t figure where he specifically was from, it was fine. Claude opened his mouth to respond but Hilda beat him. “Hey Edelgard. How’s Monica doing? She seems to have made a speedy recovery.” Hilda was a natural. Her brows were furrowed together with the right amount of concern in her voice. “She’s not pushing herself too hard is she?”

Edelgard gave a curt nod. “She has made a surprisingly quick recovery but she’s determined to graduate.” Hilda’s words did little to deter her. Edelgard snapped her attention back to him. “I must say it is quite impressive how many weapons you have learned to use.”

Claude shrugged. “I’m a man of many talents.” He gave her a wink. “Wouldn’t you say that one must be well versed in many subjects in order to be an effective leader?”

She looked behind him at the dummies that lay on the floor. “I do agree though it seems you have a long way to go before I can consider you proficient with an axe.” Her eyes shifted to the torn dummy behind Hilda. “You seem to have no trouble with an axe. Truly living up to the Goneril name.” Claude saw Hilda twist her face for a split second. “Perhaps we can have a friendly duel one day.”

Hilda covered her yawn. “No thank you. I have more important things to do.”

“Oh? Such as?”

“Going to lunch.” Hilda handed off her training axe to Edelgard. “But since you’re here, you might need this.” She didn’t give another glance as she walked towards the doors. “Come on Claude I’m hungry.”

Claude bowed to Edelgard. “This was lovely but I’m afraid my stomach is calling me to the dining hall.” As was Hilda. He dropped his training axe into her hands. Edelgard wasn’t one to give overly expressive looks but the perplexed look she had said enough.

The two made their way to the doors. Hubert watched them leave Edelgard with two training axes and a mess. Without any prior communication, Hilda and Claude both turned to give Hubert large smiles. Leaving the Black Eagles lord and retainer behind in the training grounds.

* * *

Hilda fell asleep on the way to Gronder Field. Having to get up before the sun rose to travel into Empire territory was already more effort than she wanted to put in. When she awoke, she was wrapped in a blanket leaning into Marianne as Dorte pulled their wagon to their mini camp set up. Each house had three tents for changing into their battle gear. Once everyone changed the Golden Deer gathered around a small table with a map of Gronder Field.

Claude had chosen to take hold of the southeast corner of Gronder Field. The numerous trees meant they could hide and take cover from attacks. A good defensive strategy that also would lure people in for surprise attacks. It was a tame strategy since Professor Manuela denied his request to use fire arrows. It was also one she helped create. Claude continued his sleepless nights for the rest of the month concocting this plan. Only resting when his body couldn’t handle it anymore. Once he finished explaining everyone’s job and positions, the Golden Deers broke off to gather their weapons and remaining armor.

There was only one more thing she needed to grab. Hilda trailed behind Claude as he made his way to the wagon. “The yellow suits you.”

“Do you think so?” Claude grabbed the longbow from the back of the wagon. He brought it down to the ground and placed his right leg in between the limbs and string. She watched as he pulled the upper limb back to string the bow. “Take a good look. This will be the only month I’m in this getup.”

She did take a good look. From the leg armor to the jabot collar. “It’s flashier than the archer uniform. At least all the Lord uniforms are like this.” Not too long ago she had seen Edelgard and Dimitri training in their uniforms. Claude was the last to get his since he passed much later than them.

Claude nodded as he checked the string. “I won’t be the only one looking this ridiculous.” He turned to grab a leather sheath. Hilda stared at the scripts that ran down the curve. “Speaking of new uniforms,” He whipped around with a grin. “When will you be getting out of the brigand class?”

Hilda pouted at him. “Why? I like this uniform.” Truthfully she held off moving onto the warrior class. All she did was axe training so she was more than qualified to move on. But the warrior class uniform wasn’t as cute. The brigand uniform was soft and comfortable. An added bonus was that it did wonders for her chest. Even now she caught Claude’s eyes taking a peek. Hilda crossed an arm across her waist to push her chest up, raising a hand to ruffle the fur by her chest. “I think it’s cute.” It was her turn to wink at him.

There was a brief blush of pink across his cheeks. Claude turned back to the wagon and filled his sheath with arrows. She had never seen him blush. He always did his best to keep his composure. Whenever it cracked, she could never get enough. “By the way Claude.” He only gave a hum in acknowledgement. “Is that sheath new?”

“This sheath?” Hilda nodded. There was only one in his hands. “No this is one I’ve had with me but I misplaced it when moving to Garreg Mach. I only found it recently.” The make was unlike anything from Fodlan. But they were about to go into a battle. There was no time for questions. Claude strapped the sheath across his chest and clapped his hands together. “You have everything?”

Hilda returned his smile. “Yup! Just need to grab the last thing.” She stepped up to the wagon and peered inside. Moving the heavy blanket she had used for her nap to the side. A small leather loop hidden under the folds popped out. Hilda grabbed it and fastened it into place.

Claude gave an approving nod. “Good. Let’s get in place.” He let out a loud whistle to signal the other Golden Deers.

Together they walked out to the field where Lady Rhea and Seteth stood. The two explained the rules of the battle. Soon all Three Houses parted ways to set up. The battle would begin soon.

* * *

It was almost time. Claude clenched his fists as the trumpets blared. For now everyone was in position. They just had to follow the plan. The plan he had concocted was simple in his opinion. Professor Manuela forbade him from using fire and he didn’t want to incapacite fellow peers with poison. He needed to see everyone at their full strength.

Of course he had to consider other factors. The biggest one being Lorenz. Everyone else would follow the plan but he knew Lorenz wouldn’t. If the plan was simple, it could keep Lorenz’s interest and change on the spot.

The Black Eagles were charging towards the ballista. The Blue Lions took control of the stronghold from the speed of Ashe and Ingrid rushing in. The Golden Deer held back for now. The only one who moved out was Ignatz. Claude wanted to utilize his quiet nature for advancement. He turned to his left and gave out the next steps of his plan. “Sneak past the Black Eagles and Blue Lions.”

Leonie, Lysithea, Raphael, and Marianne nodded together. Leonie gestured to them to follow her as she made her way towards the Blue Lions. Her and Lorenz being cavaliers was to their advantage. The numerous trees kept their cover as they moved. Claude looked over to Hilda on his right. She casually stood around with the mace in hand.

Good everyone was following along. All he needed was Lorenz to-

“Lorenz wait!” Just as he turned to look, Lorenz took off to the stronghold. He could see the professor leading the Black Eagles to fight off the Blue Lions. Claude took out an arrow and aimed towards Ignatz’s direction. The arrow flew high into the sky. It wouldn’t hit anyone since there were no units between Hilda and Ignatz. He had only told Ignatz a few minutes before the battle about the signal shot.

When Claude looked back at Hilda’s spot it was empty. There was only so much his plan could do.

* * *

Just as they had predicted, Lorenz took off on his own. Hilda quickly followed behind with her battalion. All those hours spent planning was going to pay off. She had offered Claude to keep watch over Lorenz. After all these months of him picking up her training, he wouldn’t find it suspicious that she followed behind. Luckily enough, he had asked to observe her in battle just a few days ago. This allowed Claude to solidify their plan even more.

From the right she saw Ignatz running through the trees to meet them. Claude’s signal shot had worked. Ignatz wasn’t one to not listen to directions. It wasn’t a gamble if he would take action from their last minute request.

The Black Eagles and Blue Lions were too busy fighting to notice Lorenz riding up to them. As Bernadetta took hold of the ballista, Lorenz and Ignatz had emerged from the woods. Hilda instructed her battalion to go ahead of her and join Lorenz. From where she stood she could see Ingrid knock out Lindhardt as he fell behind the group.

With all Three Houses now fighting at the stronghold, she could slip back into the woods. The battalion she sent forward would be the support. For now she was exhausted from the running. She needed her energy for later.

* * *

Without fail the Black Eagles took over the stronghold. Bernadetta now stood at the ballista, shaking in her boots as she took aim. From the looks of it Ashe and Ingrid had been taken out. Claude could no longer see Lindhardt and Ferdinand. He and Lorenz had their own fight subsequently taking out each other in the process. Ignatz was now running off in defeat. Hilda was nowhere to be found. She had run off after Lorenz but disappeared shortly after.

The other side had Raphael now leading the charge with his fists. Lysithea and Marianne were behind him. The latter desperately tried to keep him healed as he charged in. The Black Eagles came down from the slope of the stronghold to meet the battling Golden Deer and Blue Lions. Leonie was riding back towards him just as planned.

If Claude stood by himself exposed, it would attract them over for an easy attack. The trees kept his cover for now but as expected someone was now coming towards him.

Edelgard came charging through the tree line with Professor Byleth right behind her. Claude drew his bow and aimed the blunted arrow to the left of Edelgard. He watched as the arrow grazed her white hair. There was a smug smile on her face after the arrow missed. Claude returned the smile as Leonie broke through the trees and plunged her lance at the professor. The professor jumped back with the slightest bit of shock on his face. Edelgard looked behind her to hear the professor tell her to continue without him.

Leonie barked at the professor to fight her. To show her what Jeralt has taught him. Claude had no way of knowing the professor would come here but it worked out beautifully that Leonie was positioned to be here. Hilda was still missing. He had no way of telling if she was taken out or taking off somewhere else.

The future empress pressed forward with an iron shield and steel axe in hand. Claude readied another arrow and took aim at her feet. “Hey Princess! Heads up! There's a rat right by your Imperial feet…”

Edelgard’s eyes grew in size. She jumped up and frantically stepped around, looking for the rat. “BAH! I-” Once she saw there was no rat, she took in a breath to fix her composure. “Huh. How dare you make a fool of me. You will not rile me with such childish tactics.”

“Ah, so the sheer terror in your eyes was... something else entirely. My mistake. Anyway, it was only a joke.” Claude readjusted his aim up to her chest.

“You really hope to unsettle me with childish jokes? It won't work. You must stand and fight!” She hit her shield with her axe. The clanging sound echoing for a brief moment before the trees took in the sound. Edelgard squared herself and began her charge.

Claude shot the first arrow he knocked into her shield. Quickly pulling the second arrow he held in between his ring and little finger. This arrow hit her left pauldron causing her to step back a little.

It did little to deter her as she lifted the axe for a swing. Claude took out three arrows to fire them. The first arrow flew by her left ear. Edelgard’s eyes stayed locked on him. Good. As he knocked the second arrow, Claude gave her a big grin. “That arrow wasn’t for you.”

“Who else would you be aiming at-”

* * *

Hilda watched as Edelgard charged towards Claude. Professor Byleth was still busy fighting Leonie. No one had seen her hiding behind the trees. Her battalion joining Lorenz was merely a ruse. Their numbers looked bigger with the two battalions combined.

The grip on the mace was readjusted as an arrow flew past Edelgard’s face. She shot out from the woods running towards Edelgard as her back faced her. With the cry of battle, Hilda swung the mace right for her waist.

Edelgard spun around on her left foot. The shield met the mace to block the hit. Even with the sudden change in direction, her footing kept her grounded. Hilda kept pushing against the shield. With the flick of her elbows, she was finally able to make Edelgard stumble back.

The princess smiled as she squared herself. “So this is where we duel. It is an honor to see a Goneril fight with such vigor.”

There she went again about her family line. Hilda adjusted the mace to her left hand. Even with her non-dominant hand she was able to swing in full force. It was a lighter weapon compared to the hammer. It was why she chose to bring it even if it was weaker. Edelgard brought her axe up to block the blow. Being able to wield a steel axe with one hand was impressive. Their strength was matched as they both pushed against each other. Nothing would come from a stalemate.

Which is why they had asked a leathersmith to make the small loop that would fit under her uniform without making a noticeable bump. The brigand uniform had layers of fabric and belts that could hide weapons. Claude took a look at some the holsters she had and designed one that was thinner and could unlatch with one tug. The downside was she couldn’t make too many sudden movements. So when she chased after Lorenz, she didn’t rush over. Instead sending her battalion so she could prepare for this.

With deft swiftness, Hilda reached her right arm back to unlatch the short axe hiding underneath the flowing skirts. Edelgard couldn’t react in time as the blunted short axe hit her right arm, causing her to drop the shield. Claude’s arrow struck her back making her drop the axe.

With Claude aiming at her, Hilda now dual wielding axes, and no weapons, Edelgard sighed with raised arms in defeat. “Seems you two have bested me.” She grabbed her weapons and began to walk off the field.

It worked. Their plan worked. Everything they had worked for paid off. All the effort she put in wasn’t wasted. Hilda jogged over to Claude in bliss. “We did it! It worked! It-”

* * *

Claude took out three arrows to fire them. The first arrow flew by her left ear. Edelgard’s eyes stayed locked on him. Good. As he knocked the second arrow, Claude gave her a big grin. “That arrow wasn’t for you.”

“Who else would you be aiming at-”

Hilda cried out with the mace swinging with full force. Edelgard spun around to shield the attack. Her footing stayed grounded as the blow reverberated against the shield. Hilda was able to push Edelgard back with a maneuver he taught her. Claude kept his second arrow aimed for Edelgard’s back. “So this is where we duel. It is an honor to see a Goneril fight with such vigor.”

Claude saw Hilda scowl as she readjusted the mace into her left hand. During their training sessions she taught him how to use various axes. In turn, they experimented with which ones she would bring. The lighter axes allowed her to wield them with a single arm. Just as she swung the mace with her left arm, the Sword of the Creator wrapped around the weapon.

The mace was pulled right out of her hand. Hilda’s arm swung without a weapon. Claude lifted his aim to see professor Byleth throwing the mace to the side. Behind the professor he could see Leonie slowly getting up from the ground. He had beat Leonie without hesitation.

Professor Byleth dodged the arrow Claude shot. Hilda whirled around unlatching the secret short axe from under her belt. With the last arrow in his hand, Claude took a reckless shot at the professor. He barely had enough time to jump back from Edelgard’s swing.

Claude tried his best to keep up with the assault of swings. Each step he took back needed to have an equal action with his hands. Pulling out an arrow, knocking it, shooting, and repeating the process with each step.

The arrows didn’t stop Edelgard’s advancement. Some would bounce off her shield while others would just leave behind nothing more than a bruise. Claude watched her wind her arm back for a low swing. He quickly gathered three arrows before he flipped back from the swing.

This was easier when he had his wyvern. He had more air and time to shoot. But time still slowed as he shot two at Edelgard’s right leg and arm. The last arrow was a wild shot in the direction of Hilda.

When his two feet landed on the ground the world began to spin again. Looking down he saw the back swing of the axe meet his torso. Claude was thrown into the woods just as he heard Hilda cry out, “Ouch! You’re mean!”

The world was spinning around him. Claude closed his eyes only to feel the ground he was laying on moving under him. When his head finally cleared he opened his eyes to see Hilda kneeling next to him. Her pink hair was a mess with a visible bruise on her shoulder. Claude groaned as he failed to roll over onto his side. Trumpets blared across the field. Seteth’s voice booming across the field as he declared victory to the Black Eagle house.

“Come on Claude.” Hilda took hold of his right arm. Carefully slipping her arm under him to help him get up.

Claude winced as they walked off the field. “I guess our plan didn’t work.” Each word was said with a gasp of air. He let out a wheeze when Hilda readjusted her hold.

Hilda let out a huff. “I guess not.” She didn’t complain when his head fell onto hers.

Edelgard had put every ounce of strength into that hit. He swore this would have worked out. Everything had fallen into place for him to get that checkmate. “Teach really is something else.” This time talking sent him into a coughing fit.

“Claude stop talking until professor Manuela can patch you up.”

It was still hard to see but they finally reached their camp. The other Golden Deers were already gathered around. He could vaguely see the shock on their faces as Hilda took him to professor Manuela’s tent. Even with her healing, this was something that he was going to feel for several days.

* * *

Once everyone got back to Garreg Mach it was time for dinner. Claude had proposed everyone eat together in a “grand” feast to break down walls. This was the first time all Three Houses sat down together for anything.

Raphael and Caspar were gorging on all the food at one end of the table, the three leaders sat in the middle with professor Byleth, and the other end had Bernadetta and Marianne keeping to themselves. Hilda had a chance to talk with Dorothea about fashion. She wondered why she had never spoken to her before. Perhaps she could try hanging out with the other houses some more.

“Hey Hilda look at Claude!” Hilda looked in the direction of Raphael’s voice. Most of the students at that end of the table were looking at the sleeping lord.

“I thought nobles didn’t fall asleep during their meals.” Leonie was being playful with her words. But it didn’t stop the noblest of nobles to jump in.

“A true noble wouldn’t.” Lorenz and Ferdinand began their speech about nobility.

Dorothea rolled her eyes at them. “I don’t blame him. Especially after Edie knocked him out cold. She was a little too rough with him.”

“Yeah.” That wasn’t the only reason he passed out. Hilda pushed her chair back and made her way over to Claude. Professor Byleth must have had the same idea since he was pulling Claude up from his seat. “Thanks professor. We can carry him up together.” Together they got Claude onto the professor’s back and out the dining hall.

The professor left once Claude was in his bed. Hilda lingered by his bed for a bit. On his desk the bags of tea she gave him sat nearly empty. She went over and picked up the last of the Almyran pine needles and went to her room. He was going to need a cup of tea when he woke up.

* * *

The smell of pine needles woke Claude up. Opening his eyes he could see he was in his room. His waist cried out in pain as he rolled over onto his side. Blinking a few times to adjust his eyes, he could see Hilda sitting in his chair with a steaming teapot next to her.

“Looks like you’re alive.” She poured the tea into a cup.

“What happened?” Claude winced as he sat up. Not just his waist but every single muscle in his body ached.

“You passed out while eating.” She handed the cup over to him. It was an effort to grab hold of the cup but he did it. “However, I would say you passed out from hours of lost sleep.”

For once he didn’t have anything to say back. He had juggled training, research, and planning for the whole month. It was a reckless plan but he couldn’t stop to rest. The defeat did change his angle literally and figuratively. Next month would be different.

Once he finished the tea, Hilda took him out to the classroom. The other Golden Deers were already gathered there lost in conversation. As a class they continued to talk with one another. The loss wasn’t a big deal to most of the Golden Deer. In the end, they were able to get closer to their other classmates. It was just as Claude had hoped for. Another step forward to make his dream a reality.


	11. Red Wolf Moon 1180

After days of catching up on lost sleep, Claude was back in the library. Through his delusional wake a theory came to mind. Once he was able to get through a day without passing out, he dragged Hilda with him.

Upon entering the library there was a noticeable lack of the head librarian. “Tomas doesn't seem to be here... Oh well, that's fine.” Claude rushed over to a bookshelf and began pulling books out. “I found out something interesting the other day.”

“Before or after you were revived?” Claude shot a look behind him at his grinning pink haired companion. The past few days he was barely a human. Falling asleep during class and sleeping for hours. Sometimes he accidently skipped meals during his extended naps.

“It's about the connection between Crests and the Heroes' Relics.” The books he pulled out now were a pile on the floor. “The Crest Stone of each Relic is carved with a specific Crest, the one that has the ability to wield it properly. The Crests are the keys. You need the right one to safely use a Hero's Relic. The only thing I can't figure out is… Why doesn't the Sword of the Creator have a Crest Stone bearing a Crest?”

Hilda hummed for a second. “All the other Relics have a Crest Stone. So there had to be a Stone in the past.” They had figured this out back during Verdant Rain Moon but he wanted to hear the conclusion outloud.

“Precisely.” Finally reaching the back of the bookshelf where a folded piece of paper sat in the back. He took the paper out and unfolded it. “There's more. I believe the Crest Stones might be the source of the Relics' inhuman power. When I talked to Lindhardt, he said Miklan transformed into a Black Beast. He was taken over by something that originated from the Crest Stone. And the Crest Stone was on his body. It all seems to add up. Now, look at this picture I found.”

Claude held open a paper with a drawing of a dragon on it. Hilda leaned in to inspect the photo. He took the paper over to a table to lay it out. Smoothing over the fold lines to straighten it. “That creature is called the Immaculate One, who was supposedly sent by the goddess to save the followers of Seiros. See the pattern on its brow, and the faint circular boundary?” He circled the brow of the dragon with his finger. “Isn't it possible that's a Crest Stone?” Hilda studied the pattern, eventually nodding at his theory. “If all this is true, then Crest Stones are what power the ability to assume massive forms like that of the Immaculate One. And maybe the Heroes' Relics can harness that transformative power-”

“Oh. It is you.” The two snapped up from the paper and turned to see Seteth. “Have you seen Tomas recently?”

Claude shook his head “No such luck. I was hoping to speak with him myself, but he seems to be out on the town.”

“I see. Well-” Seteth looked behind them, spotting the photo of the dragon. “Hm?! Where did you find that picture?” He stepped forward for a closer look. Hilda discreetly blocked the way by leaning onto one leg so her hip could try and block the paper.

“It was in the library.” It was something he found a couple days ago and kept hidden. With everything that was happening last month there wasn’t time to analyze it. He didn’t want to risk losing it in his room, so stuffing it behind books was the best option. “Why do you ask? Is it something my youthful eyes shouldn't be seeing?” 

Seteth shook his head. “No, of course not. However, that is not part of this library's collection. It must belong to Tomas. It would be problematic if it got mixed in with the other books. I will take possession of it for now.” There was no way they were going to fight Seteth’s request.

Claude picked up the paper and carefully rolled it up. Reluctantly handing it to Seteth as he muttered under his breath. “Take it away where no one can see it, you mean…”

“What was that?” Seteth seized the paper.

“That's what Tomas said. He said records that the monastery doesn't approve of tend to disappear.” It was bold to throw this onto a high member of the church but he didn’t particularly care for the church.

“Tomas said that? Preposterous. I have far too much to accomplish to waste time with this foolishness.” Seteth left the library leaving the two behind. His tone and rushed exit said the opposite of his words.

“So, the church is hiding something after all. Some massive secret about Relics and Crests.” There was no reason to say all of that under his breath. The only other person here was Hilda.

Hilda took in an audible breath of air. “Let’s clean up and go. It’s so stuffy here.”

Claude nodded in agreement. They quickly put the books back into the shelf and left. The air became thinner the farther they walked from the library. There was surely a purge of books to happen in the near future. It would be a shame to lose resources.

* * *

Hilda was listening to Ignatz go on and on about the Battle of the Eagle and Lion for the umpteenth time. The image of the three Lords sitting together and eating moved him so much he wanted to paint it. Even with the situation in Remire village, Ignatz was focused on his next painting.

Remire village.

It was where the Lords met professor Byleth. Most of the knights were already dispatched to go check on the village. Every month was just filled with something. Of course the Black Eagles would end up in Remire village if something went wrong. Meaning their class would be stuck with another boring mission.

A chill went down Hilda’s spine as she walked out of the classroom. Winter winds were making their way from Faergus. She would have to start wearing her winter coats to keep warm. The howling wind swept through the yard as Hilda watched other students shiver as well. Even with the fresh air blowing through everything felt stale. Ever since the incident with Seteth it all seemed… off. Especially with the way only half the students were worried about Remire village while the other half continued with their lives.

She wasn’t one to judge though. Just a few months ago she ignored the situation of House Rowe because it didn’t involve her. It still didn’t sit right with her with what was happening. What a strange feeling.

* * *

Professor Byleth was still running around the monastery even with his pale face. Claude overheard Linhardt’s daily schedule. In an odd way his daily schedule was starting to become like the mage’s. Walking back and forth from the dining hall to the library everyday. Once the professor left, Claude slid over to strike a conversation.

Linhardt proved to be chock full of information. It was hard to have a chance to chat with him. Claude found that if he wasn’t interested he wouldn’t waste time. Luckily they shared the same interests with their research. “Hey Linhardt do you have any more book suggestions on Crests and Crest Stones?”

“Of course I do.” He didn’t bother covering his yawn. “Although it seems my recommendations are missing.”

Missing? It had only been a week since Seteth found that paper. “That’s a shame.”

“Still researching about the connection of Crests and their respective stones?” His attention turned to a book in his hands. “I would love to give you more information but even professor Hanneman can’t answer your questions.”

Claude hadn’t figured out Linhardt’s speech pattern yet. He always seemed to be giving a cold shoulder. He could only sigh at his words. “I’m afraid I might be searching until I’m old.”

“It truly is a shame how little we know about Crests.” Linhardt flipped through a few pages before closing the book. “Have you tried going down into Abyss?”

Abyss.

He hadn’t had time to go down there nor did he really have a reason to go. It also didn’t help that Balthus was down there. The last time they spoke, the conversation went in a direction Claude did not want it to go. “I’ve been too busy to go down there. What’s down in Abyss?”

Linhardt put the book in his hands back into the shelf. “The Shadow Library. Hapi told me Abyss is where everything deemed dangerous by the church goes.” Before he finished, Claude connected the dots. “The Shadow Library is full of books discarded by the church. I sneak out once in a while to read some of them.”

The sleepy mage really had no tact. Claude’s eyes were darting around the room as he spoke aloud of the library. It was a miracle no one else was here now. “Thanks for the tip Linhardt.”

“Of course.” He gave a lazy wave. “Do you think you could ask Marianne or Lysithea to talk with me some time? I’ve tried before and I think they’re avoiding me now.”

“Uh sure.” Claude didn’t know why he was interested in those two but he could try. After all he did help him with some information. He gave an awkward goodbye wave before leaving. Linhardt didn’t even see it as he buried his head into another book.

So it was finally time to go down into Abyss.

* * *

Hilda didn’t give much thought to the possibility of books going missing. But she had just lied to Ignatz about finding the book she needed. When she climbed up the ladder, the book she needed wasn’t there. After searching in other bookshelves reality and disbelief settled in.

It seemed like an impossibility to get rid of so many books that had connections about Crests and the Crest Stones and yet here she was. A completely different book from what she needed was out of it’s shelf and in her hands.

Not only that but Claude wasn’t here. She was certain that she would find him here. Linhardt was here with his stack of books as usual. Hilda approached the table and gave a knock. “Hey Linhardt.” The sleepy bookworm looked up at her, disinterest glazing in his eyes. “Do you know where Claude is?”

“Shouldn’t you know? Aren’t you his retainer?” He wasn’t wrong but she wasn’t expecting that response. She did her best to keep the smile on her face. “He might be in Abyss.”

She wasn’t expecting him to answer. Especially with an answer like that. “Why would he be in Abyss?”

“I told him about the Shadow Library becau-”

“The what?” Her question came out so fast, Linhardt had no time to finish his sentence.

Linhardt sighed before starting again. “Because he asked where to find some books and I told him to go to Abyss.” Hilda stared at him for a good second. She didn’t particularly want to go into Abyss. It was underground which meant it would be dirty and smelly. Also seeing Balthus was more annoying than pleasant. “Will you leave now? I’m quite busy with not talking.”

This wasn’t a subtle hint to take. Hilda simply nodded and left his table. As she walked out the library, she put the book in her hands onto the cart of books that needed to be put away.

* * *

Sneaking down into Abyss proved to be difficult. Actually getting down there wasn’t difficult since a few Ashen Wolves had come to the surface before but finding the time to go was the hard part. This was now his third time down here this month. Juggling his usual work was already taking a toll on him again. Now he had to get in and out of Abyss to read a few books without raising suspicion.

“Did the deer get lost again?”

Claude looked up from his current book to greet the smooth voice. “A little bird told me I could find some answers down here.”

Yuri pushed his purple hair back, eyeing the collection he had made on the floor. He shot a knowing look before reaching for a book on the shelf. “You’ve made quite a few visits already. Not that anyone down here cares but I’m sure people up there are growing suspicious.” Yuri took the book out and dusted it off. “I wouldn’t want the other fawns to worry about their leader.” A smirk rested on his face as he handed the book off to him. “Take care of it for me or the mages will have my head.”

Claude hadn’t taken a book out from Abyss yet. It was too much a risk to do so. But Yuri kept holding the book out, waiting for his move. Just from the first visit he figured he and Yuri were cut from the same cloth. He wouldn’t offer this book without an ulterior motive. “We wouldn’t want your head to be rolling on the floor now.” Claude gently grabbed the book and pushed it back.

“I trust you friend.” Yuri let go of the book and stepped back, preventing Claude from giving it back. “When you return it, let’s chat some more.” He gave a wink before gliding out of the library.

Claude looked at the book in his hand. The weight of it grew as he tightened his grip on the spine. It was certainly a book he hadn’t seen before. A quick flip through showed the age of the book. It would have been years since this book saw sunlight. Claude gently wrapped the book with his yellow cape. If he held it right, it would look like he was just carrying his cape around for some reason. It was time to leave.

* * *

Hilda watched the sun set as she waited around the entrance that Balthus taught her. She never thought this information would be used since she wanted to avoid him. But she hated secrets even more than having to fend off from Balthus’ requests of money. Hilda was so sure she had a good enough relationship with Claude where he didn’t have to sneak around Abyss. In her mind they were doing this together.

Together.

How unusual.

All she wanted to do was make friends, talk, and lounge around. Well she was still making friends and talking and lounging. Recently planning a shopping trip with Dorothea and another tea party with Marianne, Annette, and Mercedes. There was an attempt in inviting Bernadetta but she screamed while running away when Hilda approached her. Now after all those hours and months spent with Claude she found herself caught up with wanting to spend time working with him. 

Footsteps came from the stairwell causing all of her thoughts to halt. Hilda stepped back in case it wasn’t Claude who would emerge from the entrance. Luckily, her messy haired leader did step out from the underground passage. He looked around before straightening his back.

Seeing him emerge meant there was no need to hide anymore. “Hey Claude.” Hilda watched as Claude jumped a little from her voice. “How’s Abyss?” She was leaning against the wall as he approached her.

“Miss Goneril are you following me?” Claude joined her in leaning against the wall. His arm nonchalantly draping against the bricks. The stench of the underground came off from him.

“I heard you might be here.” Hilda looked at the cape wrapped in his arms. It was awkwardly bulky for such a small cape. “So what did you find?”

There was a pause too small for anyone to notice but her. The way his eyes would suddenly glaze over before he answered, as if he was thinking of a way to turn things around in his favor. “A little bird helped me find a book.” He adjusted his hold on the cape a little obviously.

Hilda pinched her nose as he began to fix the cape. “And I’m going to help you find the showers.” With one hand she grabbed the bundle and the other pushed Claude away. “I’ll put this in your room but I’m not talking to you until you wash.”

As she bounded off to the dorms she could hear Claude laughing behind her. Hilda didn’t dare look to see if he was chasing after her. Whatever this book was it needed to get into his room now.

* * *

Claude must have taken her advice of taking a shower because by the time she reached his room, he wasn’t anywhere to be seen or heard. Hilda made her way through the sea of books to his desk. She began to unwrap the messy lump of his cape and tossed it by the door. Claude did a terrible job at wrapping it nicely but she figured it wasn’t supposed to look neat.

Hilda carefully placed the book on top of his desk. To ensure he wouldn’t lose the book, she moved all of the other books on his desk elsewhere. It was surprising Claude didn’t lose more of his belongings with the state of his room. Even if he did lose something, he never made a big deal out of it. Hilda spotted the bookmark she gifted pushed at the far corner of his desk. Perfect. She grabbed it and slipped it into the book. Now there was surely no possible way for Claude to lose this book.

One part of her wanted to look inside the book and the other didn’t want to look until Claude came back. After a short inner debate, Hilda began to gingerly flip through the pages. The pages were filled with sketches of symbols she had never seen before. One page had a chart of crests except there were crests new to her own eyes in the chart. She never had interest in all of the crests but after all the work she put in, this new chart caught her attention.

It was hard to come to accept that the church was hiding something. Claude had no problem with it since he admitted to not being a religious person. Hilda on the other hand benefitted from Crests. Afterall, the Goneril family took pride in their strength. It was a slow process of breaking down her own walls to a world outside of the church. Her hand traced over the new crests, memorizing their names as she did.

_ Crest of Maurice. Crest of Aubin. Crest of Chevalier. Crest of Noa. Crest of Timotheos. Crest of Ernest. _

Flipping through more pages she found that each crest had a dedicated chapter. The first crest she looked at was the Crest of Goneril. A drawing of Goneril was on the first page. This wasn’t new since a painting of Goneril hung in the halls of their home. She quickly scanned the pages to see some information she already knew such as the benefits of the Crest and Freikugel’s connection.

Before she could look at another chapter the door handles being grabbed echoed. Hilda quietly shut the book and stumbled to take a seat on his bed. Claude walked in with a towel wrapped around his head. He carried his jacket and pants in his arms and was only wearing the yellow shirt he had underneath his uniform and a pair of shorts. “Should have grabbed a change of clothes. It's freezing outside.” His teeth were chattering away as he dumped his clothes on the floor.

Hilda grimaced at the pile of clothes and moved farther down the bed to avoid the stench. “It’s not even winter yet and the hoarfrost is already coating the trees.” She observed the goosebumps on his skin. “You better have a warm coat.”

“I do but I’m not used to the cold.” Claude grabbed the blanket that draped over his chair, scrambling to wrap himself up. “I grew up in a place where it was always warm.”

It killed Hilda to not ask where this place was. Every story he told only made her more curious. An insatiable curiosity that grew every time. But she was the last person who wanted to ask him that question. Everyone else already hounded him for that information. For now these small bites would have to satisfy her wantings. “Tell me about it.”

“It’s like a never ending summer except our summers are far more dangerous than Fodlan summers.” Claude plopped onto the bed and grabbed another blanket for himself. “Summers in Fodlan are like our springs. And our winters are like Fodlan’s fall.”

Claude spent the next hour or so explaining the climate of his homeland. Even telling a story of a time he passed out from heat exhaustion. Once he finished, Hilda told a story of winter in return. Particularly of a bad winter that swept through Fodlan years ago. It felt like the end of the world with roads being blocked and supplies getting lost. Ever since then, the Alliance made sure to keep major roads well maintained for easier and faster travel.

When they finished talking the sun had fully set beyond the horizon. Claude had stopped shivering under the blankets. When he stepped out of the cocoon, he began to shake again. Hilda laughed as he retreated back into the warmth. “Let’s read that book later. I’m tired.” She got up from her spot and looked down at the huddled lord. “Let’s also buy you a real coat soon. You might die from shaking in your boots.” He returned her smile with a pout.

Despite being cold, Claude still got up to escort her to her room. It was completely unnecessary but he did it anyway. Hilda didn’t mind since it meant he would offer his hand up to her. For just a few seconds she could grasp it before they parted ways for the night.

* * *

Claude hadn’t expected Hilda to be interested in reading the book Yuri lent him. Yet every night he found her lounging on his bed as they shared reading it. Even if they had just spent the afternoon axe training, she would wash up and then join him. To his surprise she was a remarkably fast reader. When he teased about it, she rolled her eyes telling him it allowed her to finish work faster.

“When are you supposed to return this book anyways?” Hilda lifted the page signaling that she finished reading it.

“Yuri never gave me a date.” Claude quickly wrapped up the lifted page. Once he finished he took hold of it and turned it over. They had read through half the book in the past week. “But at this rate I can probably give it back to him next week.”

Hilda hummed for a bit as her eyes scanned the page. “Yuri is the pretty one who wears makeup right?”

“He is.” Claude had a similar description for Yuri. He was almost jealous at how sharp Yuri’s features were. A face like that could win over anyone. No one would suspect someone as well groomed as him to be up to something. Claude on the other hand had eyes constantly on him. It didn’t take long for someone like Edelgard to learn he was the type to scheme.

“Take me with you next week.”

That was something he didn’t expect he would hear. “I thought you hated getting your clothes dirty.” His response was rapid fire and so was Hilda’s elbow as she gently pushed him.

“I have other clothes I don’t mind getting dirty. Besides,” Claude watched as Hilda played with her hair. “I want to know what this Shadow Library looks like.”

Claude studied her face. Her eyes were still reading through the pages sitting completely still. “Sure. Let’s make it a date.” Hilda finally pulled her eyes from the book to give him a puzzled look. Claude only grinned back as he returned his eyes to the open pages.

After a heartbeat he could feel Hilda’s attention return to the book. She lifted the page up as he finished up the last sentence. As the page fell over the next chapter began.

_ Crest of Maurice _

This was a good stopping point. Claude placed the bookmark in between the pages and shut the book. Hilda didn’t complain when he did so. They followed their usual routine where he would dramatically offer his hand to assist her down the short flight of stairs to her room. Everytime he offered, she would accept it. They parted ways for the night once more.

* * *

The Blue Lions had gathered together for lunch in the dining hall. Well Dimitri, Dedue, Ashe, and the professor had. The other Blue Lions were on their way and Sylvain was sitting across from her.

Hilda twirled her hair around as he took a seat. He could never turn down a pretty girl sitting by herself. “So what’s a pretty lady like you doing here by yourself?”

“Just waiting for a handsome man to swoop in and join me.” Their banter was pointless fun. Especially after he had figured out she was using him to get chores done. Sylvain was much smarter from what she initially had thought. Which only made their exchanges more entertaining.

“Looks like I came in time.” She was sure that some girls fell for that smile he gave. To her it was an invitation to drag him along.

Hilda’s eyes flicked up to see Claude walk in. “I don’t know. I was expecting someone with brown hair.” Saying it loudly enough to grab Claude’s attention. Sylvain’s face faltered for a second.

Without a prior arrangement, Claude swooped into the chair next to her. From the corner of her eyes she could see a grin. “Thanks for saving me a seat Hilda.”

“Of course!” She finally turned to meet his grin. “I wouldn’t want you to miss your date with Sylvain.” Hilda knew her voice was loud enough for the few students in the dining hall to hear.

“What would I do without you Hilda? You are truly an angel.” Claude reached his hands out to cup Sylvain’s. “Did I make you wait for long? Don’t worry honey I’m here now.”

Sylvain looked like death. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Ingrid walked in and grabbed him by the ear. Felix was behind her looking grouchy as ever. “Sylvain don’t bother Hilda!”

“What? But! Ow!” Sylvain’s body was lifted out of the chair and dragged by Ingrid. Claude blew a kiss in his direction that made Sylvain lose color in his face.

Annette and Mercedes came in next with a batch of pastries. Hilda would ask them for some later. It didn’t take long for the Blue Lions to start their own Founding Day celebration lunch.

Hilda watched as the professor talked with them. He seemed more emotive now but-

“Teach doesn’t look well.” Claude finished her thoughts for her.

“I hope he’s taking care of himself. He’s as pale as the hoarfrost.” She was afraid the hoarfrost did get to him.

“If he keeps pushing himself it will be disastrous.” Hilda jumped in her seat to see the third voice belonging to Lorenz. He was now standing where Sylvain had previously sat. Without an invitation, Lorenz seated himself at the table.

“So you’re also concerned with Teach.” Usually that sentence would have been a question but Claude didn’t phrase it that way.

Lorenz gave a curt nod. “Of course I am. It’s a noble’s duty to notice and care for anyone within their-”

“Why of course you are the most noble of nobles after all.” Claude’s voice cut him off. “I’m still waiting on those lessons oh great Lorenz.” That grin would drive anyone into a rage and it usually did the trick with Lorenz.

For a second it worked but then Lorenz’s face shifted back to being calm. “Have the two of you had lunch yet?”

Hilda shook her head. “I was just talking to Sylvain until Claude came. Then Ingrid took him away.” She motioned her head at the Blue Lions sitting together eating their lunch.

Claude also shook his head. “I did come here to eat lunch but was distracted by Sylvain.”

Lorenz stood up with a smile on his face. “Then let us have lunch together. They are serving dishes from the Kingdom today. I would love to have some again.” This was weird. Hilda shot a look at Claude who had an equally perplexed look on his face. He made a subtle shrug to answer her silent question. “Let me get your dish for you Hilda. Is there anything you would prefer?”

“Oh I don’t know but I trust your judgment.” She wasn’t too knowledgeable in Kingdom dishes. Anything would be fine for today.

“Understood. Come Claude. It is a nobleman’s duty to-”

“Yes your nobleness.” Claude got up from his seat and began walking off before Lorenz could finish.

Hilda watched the two go up to the chefs to grab plates of food. Everything felt like some weird dream. Lorenz hated Claude to the point he refused to even look at him. Now he was asking to eat lunch with them. Lorenz wasn’t the type to be cunning like Claude. The latter would have engaged despite his personal feelings to get an upperhand. Something must have happened for this exchange to exist.

Even knowing Lorenz’s inability to use others, the weird defensive stance she took sat in the back of her mind. Their conversations were pleasant ones. Not once did Lorenz say something negative about Claude throughout their meal. In return, Claude seemed to hold back from digging under his skin. The whole experience was so pleasant that they actually made plans for another lunch together. Hilda almost asked if the Goddess gave him some kind of revelation but she refrained from asking it. For now she would watch him. Watch to see if he truly had changed.

* * *

Claude followed the path down to Abyss with Hilda trailing behind in a rushed pace. They wouldn’t have a lot of time to stay today. Hilda spent the morning celebrating Marianne’s birthday before professor Byleth asked to have tea with her. Even with his current state, he made time to celebrate birthdays with all the students.

Once they had finished reading the book they wrote down everything and anything that stood out. It would be more convenient to keep the book but having it in his possession was dangerous. The keeper of Abyss only nodded at Claude as they entered the main hub. Hilda had stayed silent the whole time on their trip. He made his way over to the library hoping Yuri was here.

“So the deer has made his way back.” Yuri stepped out from the shadows. “And he brought one of the fawns.”

“I’m sure this little bird will be glad to know his head won’t be rolling on the floor.” Claude gestured for Hilda to come forward. She stepped next to him and took out the book from her bag.

Yuri grabbed the book with an easy smile. “Care to join me for some tea? Constance brewed some for us. I’m sure once Blathus learns you’re down here he’ll join as well.” Claude couldn’t tell who he was speaking to. His gaze fell on Hilda but his voice slipped into his ears.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the Ashen Wolves. Just as Yuri said, Blathus came by to greet Hilda who was not as happy as him to see each other. Hapi left after finishing her tea and Constance excused herself afterwards. Eventually Hilda left to explore Abyss with Balthus tagging behind her like a hulking puppy. During a game of chess, Yuri provided a few book titles to check out from the Shadow Library. Claude had to memorize each title as he dropped their names throughout the game. It was advised to take out one book at a time to keep suspicion low. Once their game ended Claude headed off to find the first book on his mental list.

* * *

The Black Eagles rushed out before their initial mission date. Word spread like wildfire from the knights that the situation in Remire village had grown dire. All day long the monastery sat still as everyone awaited the return of the Black Eagles.

Before the sunset the Black Eagles returned. Hilda swore each month they looked more and more haggard from their missions. Linhardt in particular was as pale as the professor. Even Edelgard was failing to hide her simmering anger. When Hilda asked Dorothea what happened, she merely shook her head and whispered a few words.

Once everything settled, news broke of what happened in Remire village. Tomas was in disguise as a dark mage named Solon. He had used the village as an experiment that cost the lives of many innocent people. Hilda couldn’t believe the news. She had no reason to feel dizzy from anger. Unlike the Black Eagles, she had not witnessed the carnage.

When it was time for the Golden Deers to go on their mission, no one was concentrating. Everyone’s attention was on what happened at Remire village. Their mission was not as high stakes but they faltered as they carried out the mission. Professor Manuela said no one was to blame. Admitting she was having a hard time with keeping her mind from fogging up. Hilda just wanted to sleep. Everything was so exhausting.


	12. Ethereal Moon 1180

Claude and Hilda sat with Linhardt in the library. With Tomas, or Solon, permanently gone it was emptier than usual. Little by little Linhardt explained what happened. Pausing whenever details became too gruesome. Just the thought of blood made him queasy. When he mentioned blood experiments Claude was afraid he was going to purge right there.

Once he finished telling everything, Linhardt excused himself. Claude and Hilda sat in silence from the story. He watched as Hilda clenched and unclenched her fists as if she was trying to get a grip on everything. Claude could feel his own brows staying furrowed from all the information that was given.

“I don’t understand.” Hilda’s voice was barely audible. “All those people just… died… Some of them didn’t have to.” Her fists stayed balled up on the table. “Even on our missions we still have battalions to command. They always say things like “We’ll fight with our lives” even though it’s not a life or death situation.”

Linhardt had mentioned some of the soldiers under his command dying. Every mission the Black Eagles had seemed to be life or death. Their latest one hanging closer to death. Claude kept his lips shut as Hilda continued.

“Holst does this too. He’ll say things like “I’ll give my life to protect the Alliance” and “They won’t invade Fodlan over my dead body” when he doesn’t have to.” Hilda’s eyes were fixed on the table. Emotion overcoming her the more she spoke. “Everyone acts like their life doesn’t matter. It’s almost like people are eager to have themselves killed off. They all have their own lives to live outside of battle. I just don’t understand why anyone would give their life up for someone else.”

Claude waited to make sure she had finished. Once the silence grew unbearable, he spoke up. “I don’t understand either.” Hilda finally looked up from the table. Their eyes locked together as he continued. “My combat instructor taught me to retreat when things take a turn. It’s better to live another day for another chance than to throw it all away. People in Fodlan are far too eager to fight to the death. Once death appears before your eyes you should run away.”

Silence took over again. After a minute Hilda chuckled under her breath, breaking their stare. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re not from Fodlan.”

The words struck Claude in the chest. There wasn’t a single person in Fodlan who would have said that. He felt Hilda wrap her hands around his. Her thumbs tracing over the tops of his knuckles.

“I’m glad to know you think the same. I was told to protect you with my life but-”

“I would prefer you didn’t.” Claude squeezed Hilda’s hands. “Besides, I know how to keep myself safe.”

Hilda looked up with a smile. Claude returned it with a wink. They sat in the library a while longer holding onto each other's hands. The orange glow of the sun peeked through the windows telling them it was time to leave.

When they reached the dorms they performed their usual goodbyes. Claude went straight to his bed and buried his face into his pillow. There were too many things to think about. His mind was going to burst. Before he knew it he had fallen asleep.

* * *

Professor Manuela explained the White Heron Cup to the Golden Deers. Instead of choosing a student herself she had asked who would like to participate. Lorenz volunteered immediately and Hilda mused about participating in the cup. No one else volunteered themselves. Upon seeing only two students volunteer, professor Manuela took back what she said.

Hilda didn’t blame her. After all she used to sing and dance on stage with the Mittelfrank Opera Company. It was determined the first free day of the month would be spent evaluating who would be the best choice to win the cup. Everyone seemed to have a mutual understanding that whoever was chosen would have to compete against Dorothea.

* * *

The atmosphere of the monastery was different. It was colder than last month but the ball was on everyone’s mind. The difference from this month and last was an underlying terror that many had their minds on.

Hilda looked out the window of the classroom waiting for professor Manuela to show up. Lorenz was also waiting with her. They chatted for a bit to pass the time. Hilda still couldn’t shake the weird feeling she had. Something truly amazing must have hit Lorenz’s head. He was still annoying but now she found him bearable to speak with. What was even more odd was that Hilda found their chat actually enjoyable. In fact, she would dare say she would willingly spend time with Lorenz in the future.

Professor Manuela finally appeared in the classroom. Marianne and Lysithea were in the classroom as well. Hilda insisted that Marianne try to dance a little but she kept refusing. Once it was determined that none of the other Golden Deer would show up, professor Manuela went ahead with watching them dance. Before the day ended she chose Hilda to represent the Golden Deers. Hilda didn’t even care if she had to show up to dance practices. She was picked to dance in front of everyone.

* * *

The Ashen Wolves had come out from Abyss to join everyone with preparing for the ball. Claude saw the four of them walking around for a bit before parting ways. He needed to stay away from the classroom for now since professor Manuela was going to pick who would represent their class in the cup.

As he made his way out of the reception hall, he heard Yuri call for him. Claude turned around to see him walking with Sylvain. “The deer looks less lost up on the surface.”

“The bird appears to have flown to the surface.” They exchanged knowing smirks. “What’s the occasion Yuri?”

“Heard there was a ball so we decided to come out for a bit.” Yuri made quick glances around the room to make sure no one else was around. “Seems a little selfish to still hold the ball after a tragedy.”

He was more forward this time. Claude nodded as he checked for anyone behind Yuri. “Someone broke into the old chapel recently too.”

Sylvain clicked his tongue. “Come on we’ve all been through a lot. It’ll be nice to relax.”

Claude eyed the red head. No one had dared speak to him about what happened back in Verdant Rain moon. According to Linhardt, Sylvain had dealt the killing blow to his own brother. Claude had enough tact to keep out of Sylvain’s business even if his curiosity wanted to claw out of his mind.

Yuri suddenly began to squint at something behind him. Sylvain wasn’t as subtle as he took a small step back. “Seems you’re not as easily distracted as the others.” The low, hissing voice of Hubert slipped into the conversation.

“Seriously think about it.” Sylvain hopped back in. “There will be food, music, dancing, and dates.” The prospect of being with a girl was never far from his mind. “After all these months we might get to do something normal for once.” It was subtle but Claude caught Sylvain’s voice dropping at the end.

Something normal.

Nothing about this past year was normal. Yuri’s chuckle broke the silence. “Well it seems the people I wanted to meet with all gathered together by chance.”

“Oh?” Claude gestured for him to continue.

“I ran into Sylvain in the courtyards and asked if he wanted to join me for a game of chess.” There was a glint in Yuri’s eyes. “I figured I would ask you as well.” His hand stretched out to both Claude and Hubert. “Of course you’re not obligated to join.”

“A game of chess? Are you trying to reclaim victory?” Claude exchanged the smirk from Yuri. “Is someone upset that I wiped the board last time?”

“You got lucky.”

“I prefer skill.” This time Claude gave a wink.

Hubert finally spoke up after pondering for a bit. “I do have a board in my room.”

“Perfect. I’ve brought mine up so we’ll all be able to play.” Yuri adjusted the small pack slung over his shoulder. “Now all we need is a pot of tea.”

The four discussed what tea to drink as they headed towards Hubert’s room. Without knowing it they would spend the rest of the day playing against each other. Claude didn’t expect Sylvain to actually beat him a few times. He had underestimated him. A poor call of judgement towards the red head. Hubert was proving himself to be the quiet, strategic half of Edelgard’s blunt strength. When the sun set each of them left with an equal number of victories and losses.

* * *

Hilda spent the past week practicing for the White Heron Cup. Having professor Manuela as the Golden Deers teacher must have been some hidden blessing. She actually learned a few new moves and techniques. Hilda looked over herself in the mirror once more to make sure everything looked good. The dancer outfit was very different from what she was used to wearing. Without Dorothea’s help she was sure the cloth around her chest would fall off at any moment.

“Are you nervous?” Dorothea came up behind her. Placing her hands on her shoulders and leaning into the mirror. “I used to sing in theaters that filled every seat and I still get butterflies.”

Dorothea wasn’t one to make up stories. She was honest unlike herself. Hilda shook her head then fixed her hair a little. “I’m not nervous.” Lie. “I’m just doing this for fun.” Lie. “I don’t mind if I don’t win.” Lie lie liar.

The two smiled at each other through the mirror. Dorothea eventually let go of her shoulders and stood up straight. “I wonder who the Blue Lions picked.”

If they had picked a girl she would have been here with them. “They picked a boy right?”

“I think so but…”

A knock came on the door. “Ladies are you ready?” Hilda and Dorothea looked over each other one more time. They both nodded and called back that they were ready. Hilda took in quiet breaths to quell her beating heart. It was almost time.

* * *

The Blue Lions had picked Felix to represent them in the White Heron Cup. Every single student was holding back laughter as he walked out wearing the dancer’s outfit. When they asked about it, Annette whispered that profesor Hanneman had picked him. Saying it was the tactical choice to have Felix try to win the dancer class. Even with the explanation, it didn’t lessen the humor of it.

Hilda waited with the Golden Deers who were all whispering to her about the outfit. Leonie and Raphael critiqued the outfit’s practicality in battle while Ignatz and Marianne gushed over how elegant she looked. Lorenz gave a long winded compliment that was cut off by Leonie causing the two to start fighting. Hilda stepped back to where Claude stood to avoid the crossfire. He hadn’t said a word yet about the outfit. “So what do you think?” She twirled a little, allowing the skirt to swish around her.

Claude put his hand under his chin and looked down at her. She watched as his eyes travelled up and down her body. “It leaves room for the imagination.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hilda knew exactly what it meant. But widening her eyes as she bent forward a little just to see him break his expressionless face was worth being clueless. “Do you like it?” She subtly pushed her arms up against her chest and added a few blinks to the sweetest smile she could make.

Alois’ booming voice took over the hall. Claude broke his eyes away and looked up to the knight. “Oh look they’re starting.” Hilda couldn’t help but smirk. Who knew Claude had such a weakness.

The Black Eagles went first and as expected Dorothea performed exceptionally. The knot in Hilda’s stomach tightened. She repeated everything she had told Dorothea before. She wasn’t nervous. This was for fun. It didn’t matter if she lost.

Felix’s performance was a blur to her. Every step he took meant it was a step closer to her turn. The past week she poured everything into practicing for this. This must have been the first thing she took seriously since arriving at Garreg Mach.

“Hey.” Hilda snapped out from her dazed thoughts. She turned to see Claude had poked her shoulder. Then he leaned in close enough so only she could hear him. “Is now a good time to tell you I hid a mouse somewhere?”

That stupid grin meant he was joking but it didn’t stop her from hissing at him. “When were you planning on releasing it?”

“Right before they announce the winners.”

“That’s a terrible idea.” If he really had a mouse he should have used it sooner.

“I agree.” They both whipped their heads to see Lorenz had joined their whispering. “Besides not being proper, releasing one that late does nothing to ensure our victory.”

Claude raised a brow at him. “So you agree that I should have actually grabbed a mouse.”

Lorenz quietly scoffed. “Hilda doesn’t need your schemes to win anyways. She’s been practicing with professor Manuela.”

Hilda rolled her eyes in a poor attempt to act casual. “It doesn’t matter. This is just for fun!” Even if Lorenz bought her act, Claude’s skeptical look casted doubt.

Clapping interrupted them. Felix didn’t give a bow as he stormed off. The Blue Lions tried to congratulate him but he ignored them. That meant it was her turn. Hilda swallowed her heart back into place. The Golden Deers all whispered good luck as she stepped out onto the main floor.

It felt like an eternity. But Hilda kept her head up and followed the motions. A week of constant practice for this moment. Each step and turn was put together through her own work. Even if this routine was made by professor Manuela, she was the one making it real. At the end she executed the perfect pirouette into a bow signalling the end of her dance. The crowd of students began applauding. They were applauding her. Hilda looked up to see Manuela beaming at her.

She practically skipped back to the Golden Deer who were all congratulating her. Even Marianne was telling her she did a wondrous job. Lorenz began to shower praise about how she has brought honor to the Golden Deers. Leonie quickly told him to hush as the judges decided who to vote on. Hilda took back her place next to Claude as they waited. Her heart was still pounding out of her chest.

Alois finally turned around announcing the judges were ready. Hilda’s heart stopped as the three judges stepped forward. Professor Manuela was first to announce her choice. She had sworn not to show any bias towards the Golden Deer House.

“Oh my, let's see. I suppose I have no choice but to vote for…” The pause was killing her. “The Black Eagle House.” A wave of murmurs rippled throughout the crowd.

Shamir stepped forward next. “I vote for… The Golden Deer House.” Hilda’s heart started again.

Alois' boisterous laugh stopped all the murmuring. “Great feedback, both of you! Well then, let's see... Factoring my own humble opinion... Yes! We have a winner! And I will announce who it is...right now! Without any delay! The winner of this year's White Heron Cup is…” The pause felt like a lifetime. A hush fell upon the reception hall as everyone waited for the answer. “The Black Eagle House!”

Hilda felt the floor under her break apart. The Black Eagles began cheering for Dorothea. Caspar in particular let out a roaring shout over the victory. She could hear her classmates giving her words of encouragement but she wasn’t sure what they were saying. Hilda turned to look at the Blue Lions reaction. None of them seemed to be surprised that they hadn’t won. In fact they seemed relieved they didn’t win.

Facing the Golden Deer now was too much to bear. Hilda broke away from them and walked over to Dorothea. “Congratulations Dorothea!”

Dorothea practically glided over to her. She grabbed both of Hilda’s hands with hers. “Hilda you did a phenomenal job! I was sure you were going to win!” Dorothea was an honest person unlike her.

“Oh it was nothing.” Lie. “I’m so happy you won!” Lie. Before she could say her third lie, the Black Eagles swooped her away. Dorothea called out saying they could talk over tea later. Hilda just nodded.

A mass of footsteps approached her. In three seconds she would put a smile on her face. Hilda took in a deep breath and counted down from three. Once the footsteps were close enough she spun around with a big smile. Each Golden Deer looked at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Ignatz cleared his throat. “I know you didn’t win but you truly were stunning.”

“You were amazing!” Marianne jumped in next. Her words did little to warm her heart.

“Yeah Hilda you really put in a lot of work!” Leonie pumped a fist as her encouragement.

Lorenz waved his hand in the air. “You danced like a true noble.”

Hilda just shook her head. “Oh come on it was all just for fun.” Lie. “I didn’t work that hard.” Lie. “It’s not a big deal that we didn’t win.” Lie.

They kept pouring their praises onto her. For the first time in her life, Hilda didn’t want to hear it. Once they all got a say in she excused herself to change. They told her about eating dinner together once she finished changing. Hilda nodded and left. She couldn’t stand another second of it.

* * *

The Golden Deer began to shuffle out of the reception hall. Claude watched as Hilda scurried off to go change. The voices of the Blue Lions and Black Eagles began to mingle with the Golden Deers. The three groups merged together for dinner.

“Claude are you coming?” It was still odd to hear Lorenz not say his name with complete disgust.

Claude turned and gave a small wave. “Give me a minute. I need to go find my mouse.”

At the word mouse the classes began to panic. Lorenz tried to tell them there wasn’t a real mouse but the chaos already began. Claude used it to slip away, following Hilda’s exit.

When he got out of the reception hall he was met with three possibilities. Hilda didn’t leave to change that much was obvious so she couldn’t have gone left. If she went to the right she would be in the graveyard. If she went straight, then she would be in the cathedral. Claude decided to try the cathedral first. As he opened the doors he found Hilda sitting on the parapet in the middle of the bridge.

As he approached her, he saw her hugging her knees with her face buried in them. “You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.” Claude climbed onto the parapet and sat next to her.

Hilda kept her head buried in her knees. After some time she slowly turned her head to look up at him. “I bet they’re all disappointed…”

Claude knew who she was talking about but getting her to say it would be better. “Who?”

The question made her roll her eyes. She gently nudged him with an elbow. “Our class.”

“I would say you look more disappointed.” He lifted his left leg up to rest his head on. They stared at each other for a second until Hilda peeled her eyes away. She looked out to the gray skies.

The huff she let out materialized as a puff of air. Hilda began to chuckle under her breath. “I guess I expected too much of myself.”

Claude always suspected she had a reason for being lazy. At first he thought it was because she just didn’t want to do work. But then she would select what work to put effort in. All the notes they collected from their research was because she worked on it with him. If he did it by himself there wouldn’t be nearly this much information or organization. The library was still organized the way she had done it since the Harpstring moon. He had also watched her practice with professor Manuela. That was the only time he had seen her break a sweat from her own volition.

“I really wanted to win…” Her voice was so quiet he almost missed the words.

Even with the biting cold he hated so much, Claude began to unbutton his coat. Once it was off, he threw it over Hilda’s shoulders. “You know all Three Houses are having dinner.”

Hilda pulled the coat around her. “I guess I should change so Mister Riegan doesn’t freeze to death.”

“Please do. I’ll turn into a statue at any moment.” He hopped off the parapet and reached his hand out for her. Hilda smiled as she took a grasp of his hand and hopped onto the bridge. Then they both ran back inside.

After she changed they met up with everyone in the dining hall. Most of the girls began to swarm Hilda as they complimented her dancing. As they talked her face began to light up. Finally a real smile sat on her face. Claude couldn’t help but also break into a real smile as he watched her.

* * *

It was finally time for the ball. Well it would be in a few hours. The night before the Golden Deer huddled together in the classroom and talked about the ball. Even Marianne seemed willing to try dancing. That’s when Hilda invited everyone to the Alliance’s greatest ball next year. Even saying she would have her house pick people up so they could all experience an Alliance Founding Day ball together. Lorenz said he would allow it when he became the Alliance’s leader. No one took him seriously.

Claude sat with the three other house leaders in the dining hall. Sylvain, Felix, Ashe, Ingrid, and Dedue accompanied Dimitri while Caspar, Ferdinand, Hubert, and shockingly Linhardt followed Edelgard to breakfast. The only Golden Deers here were Raphael, Ignatz, and Lorenz. Yuri had brought Balthus with him. There was a shocking low number of girls but Claude paid no mind to it.

While they were conversing two voices called out from the entrance of the dining hall. “There you are Ingrid!” Everyone looked up to see Mercedes and Annette quickly approaching the table.

Ingrid froze with a fork on its way to her open mouth. “No… They found me…” She began to shovel the food into her mouth. “Tell them I left!”

Dimitri looked at her puzzled. “What’s wrong Ingrid?”

Suddenly all the girls barged into the dining room. Now he knew why they weren’t here. Hilda and Dorothea were leading the group in. Both had large bags in one hand and social recluses in the other. Marianne was clinging onto Hilda while Bernadetta looked like a trapped rabbit in Dorothea’s arms.

Ingrid swallowed her food in one go. Sylvain clicked his tongue. “You’re going to choke if you-”

“They want to do a makeover! I have to leave!” Ingrid almost got out of the chair before Annette and Mercedes swooped in. They each grabbed one of Ingrid’s arms.

“Come on Ingrid! All the girls are going to do makeovers together!” Annette seemed stronger than she looked as she held down the squirming Ingrid.

“Hilda and Dorothea will be helping all of us.” Mercedes' sweet voice sang into all of their ears.

“That’s right!” Hilda was standing over the table now. “A girls only makeover!”

“It’s only the morning! The ball isn’t until the evening!” Ingrid continued to try her best to escape.

“Oh Ingrid.” Dorothea had her own death grip on Bernadetta. “A makeover with this many girls is going to take time. Plus it gives us an opportunity to talk to each other about…” Her eyes glared down at the boys. “Sensitive topics.”

This was Sylvain’s cue. He leaned back in his chair and winked at Dorothea. “Does that involve dates?”

“You would be the last person I would accept to the ball.” Dorothea’s sharp words shot Sylvain down.

Lorenz flipped his hair as he turned to her. “Oh please he is not a true noble I would-”

“You are also at the bottom of the list Lorenz.” Dorothea didn’t give him a chance to finish.

“What about me Dorothea?” Everyone shot a puzzled look at Ferdinand. He had a puppy like curiosity to him.

“Hm actually Ferdie _you_ are the last person I would accept.” Being rejected with a nickname caused more damage to the noble. He shrank back into his chair with glazed eyes. “Anyways, Edie you’re also coming with.”

Edelgard coughed at the words. “Me? Well I-” This was the first time Claude had seen her so flustered. “I have many important things to do before the ball so if you’ll excuse me-”

As Edelgard stood, Hubert rose to block her. “Lady Edelgard, your schedule is free today.”

The look of pure shock rippled on Edelgard’s face from the betrayal. Dorothea skipped over to grab hold of her. “Thank you Hubie.” Hubert gave a nod. “Come on Edie! Even Bernie is joining us.”

“N-n-n-no I’m not!” Bernadetta finally broke free. She threw herself at Yuri as if he were some safety net. “Yuri said he wanted to talk to me!”

“Did I? I don’t seem to recall.” Yuri gave a devilish smile. Now it was Bernadetta’s turn to be betrayed. The betrayal caused her to completely freeze up making it easier for Dorothea to swoop in and get a hold of her.

“I-it can’t be that bad Bernadetta…” Marianne finally spoke up. “Hilda is really good at this stuff.” Even with her words, Claude could see the death grip Marianne had on Hilda’s arm.

The compliment made Hilda puff up with pride. “Of course I am!”

“I am looking forward to the making of over!” Petra chimed in to try and comfort the trembling purple haired girl.

Ingrid looked over and spotted Leonie in the crowd. “Leonie you’re also doing this?”

Leonie sighed and shook her head. “Lysithea was very convincing.” Now it was Lysithea’s turn to puff up. With Leonie standing amongst the other girls, Ingrid lost the will to fight. Annette and Mercedes dragged her over to them.

Yuri waved at Bernadetta. “Have fun.” That smile was still on his face. “Constance, Hapi keep an eye on her.” Hapi gave a salute while Constance began a long dramatic speech about how she would carry out her duties as a noble.

Hilda nodded at the group, satisfied to finally have all the girls together. “Ok ladies let’s go!” The girls nodded and turned to leave the dining hall. Most of them chattering about their excitement.

Sylvain raised his hand up as if reaching out for the girls who were leaving. “Hey Hilda do you have a date?”

“Sylvain you’re funny.” Was all she sang to him.

“Hilda.” Claude called out as she turned around. Hilda whipped back around so quickly her pigtails flew. “How about me?” It was a light joke to throw.

Hilda caught the joke and smiled back. “Maybe. You are more handsome than Sylvain.”

He could hear Sylvain coughing behind him. “Oh thank you Miss Goneril.” He winked at her as she waved goodbye. She returned it.

The wink wasn’t the smartest play. He forgot Balthus was sitting across from him. “So,” His hulking body leaned into the table. “You’re Hilda’s date? Because if you are we’re going to have to fight buddy.”

Claude realized the weight of this question. He shook his head and leaned back as far as he could without falling out of the chair. “Calm down Balthus. Only a fool would ask Hilda.” With his best attempt of a casual shrug, Claude continued. “Anyone who wants to court her has to go to Holst first.”

“You’re damn right! And seeing as he’s not here,” Balthus cracked his neck. “The job falls onto me.”

Yuri scoffed at him. “No need to be a brute Balthus.”

Hubert’s terrifying laugh came out under his breath. “The same goes with Lady Edelgard. I will destroy any unworthy suitors who approach her.”

Sylvain spit his drink back into his cup. “Woah it’s just a dance! Everyone will be dancing with each other anyways. And I plan on dancing with all the ladies who flock to me.”

Lorenz snorted. “The ladies flocking you? That’s preposterous because they’ll be lining up to dance with me.”

“Nonsense!” Ferdinand seemed to have recovered from Dorothea’s blow at the mention of dancing. “My dancing will be too dazzling to even behold!”

Claude shrugged. “I don’t know. I just watched the winner of the White Heron Cup reject all three of you.” The reminder brought their moods down.

“Everyone please. This is all in good fun.” Dimitri finally spoke up.

“Do you have a date your highness?” Sylvain jumped out from the pit of despair quickly.

“I- well no but even without dates this will be a fun night.”

Everyone seemed to lean into the table at the same time. Claude gave a smug smile at the blushing prince. “So who is it your highness?” He needed to know this.

“It’s nothing like that.” The pink in his cheeks spread.

“Give us a clue.” Yuri shared the same smug look. “We won’t say who it is outloud.”

Dimitri looked at the number of eyes on him. “Sh- she’s a kind person.”

A groan took over the table from the answer. Sylvain shook his head in disappointment. “That could be anyone.” He nodded his head at Dedue. “How about you Dedue?”

Dedue shook his head. “I am only attending because of his highness. Even during the ball we must be careful.”

“Loosen up for just one night.” Sylvain’s words carried no weight to him. “How about you Ashe?”

Ashe turned red immediately. “I-I’ve never been to a ball before! I didn’t know you could ask someone to be your date!”

It was an acceptable answer. Sylvain gave a feline smile at Felix. “Let me guess Felix. You asked A-”

Felix’s elbow met Sylvain’s gut making him double over in pain. “Shut up you idiot!” That was a reaction Claude hadn’t expected from Felix. He made it too obvious that he did want to ask someone.

Once Sylvain stopped coughing he looked over to the Black Eagles. Hubert glared at him and the red head took that as an answer. “So Ferdinand. That rejection from Dorothea really hurt.” He gave him a wink. “You get used to it.” The way his voice slid under his skin meant he had already been rejected a multitude of times by her.

Ferdinand shook his head. “I do not understand why she despises me so much!”

Hubert scoffed. “Isn’t it obvious. You’re a noble who doesn’t know his place. Do you think a commoner like Dorothea would want to be with a noble from the Empire? After all, the suffering she has experienced is because of Imperial nobility.” The conversation suddenly grew heavy and deep.

Yuri’s laughter broke the tense air. “I worked for House Varley many years ago. Hubert’s words aren’t wrong.”

“Is that how you know Bernadetta?” Claude couldn’t help but ask. Especially after she threw herself at him.

“It is.” Yuri shook his head. “Funny how she always avoids me until now when she wants to avoid something else.”

Caspar groaned at the conversation. “Bah who cares about all that stuff. The ball is going to have tons of food!”

“Exactly!” Raphael was now interested in the conversation.

Lorenz grimaced at the two. “The ball is more than just the food.”

Sylvain squinted at him. “Don’t try and act all high and mighty. We all know you don’t have a date.” The words turned Lorenz into stone. “How about you Ignatz?”

“O-oh!” Ignatz fumbled with his utensils. He was doing well with keeping out of the conversation. “I’m in the same boat as Ashe. I’ve never done something like this. I’m kind of nervous.”

Claude clapped Ignatz’s back. “I’m sure you’ll do great. Who knows maybe someone as beautiful as the goddess will appear before your eyes.” It was a light jab at their last conversation. Claude gave a big smile to let him know he was joking.

Sylvain nodded at the answer. “So my understanding is that none of us have dates.”

Claude raised an eyebrow at him. “What happened to that girl in the market?” Sylvain gave a confused look. “You know the one both you and Lorenz tried to woo.” He had caught the two of them competing for the girl’s hand. Even watched the whole ordeal and laughed about it with Hilda later. Lorenz and Sylvain looked like ghosts when they realized they had been caught.

“It’s a shame. A charming guy like me should be able to get a date for the ball.” Sylvain shook his head. The table was silent for a beat before Sylvain began again. “So are you really not interested in Hilda?” He swiveled his head back to Claude. “You two hang out a lot right?”

Claude could feel Balthus’ menacing aura. He had never given it a lot of thought. He wasn’t interested in Hilda the way Sylvain was suggesting but he was interested in learning about her. That interest caused him to stick around her more than the others. Working together also allowed him to watch her up close. “True but I think she does it out of necessity.” A small lie for the sake of keeping their secret. He could see Yuri eyeing him from the corner of his eye. The other two retainers were also eyeing him, waiting for what he would say. “I told her not to waste her time protecting me from nothing.” The answer didn’t go well for the other retainers but it satisfied Balthus.

Sylvain clicked his tongue. “Damn I didn’t know I would have to fight her older brother. She’s really cute too.” Balthus began to stir but Yuri kept him in place.

“Oh please you do not meet House Goneril’s high standards.” Lorenz took another chance to get back at his rival. Balthus grunted in agreement.

Felix hit the back of Sylvain’s head. “Can we talk about something else?”

“I agree.” Linhardt finally arose with a yawn.

They did try talking about other things. But everything led back to the ball. There were more jabs at each other and questions about who everyone fancied. The group sat there until lunch time. The servants only shook their heads at the group when they all got up to grab more plates of food.

* * *

The girls had gathered in the Common room. It was the only room with enough tables and chairs for them to all gather. Dorothea and Hilda decided the best thing to do first was to figure out what everyone was wearing. Half of the girls were going to just wear the evening uniform that they were given while the other half had different dresses to choose from. After an hour of discussion, professor Manuela came in and barked at them about school dress codes and to quiet down. In the end, they were all going to wear their evening uniform.

Everyone seemed to get into a rhythm as they got ready. Those who needed help waited while the others began to work on their hair. Hilda first started with the Golden Deers while Dorothea helped the Black Eagles. Annette and Mercedes did their best to help Ingrid. If someone needed help, Dorothea or Hilda would come over to assist. Constance hung by Mercedes and gave suggestions. Hapi lounged in the middle of the floor, eating the pastries that were provided.

“So while we are getting ready we need to talk about something very important.” Dorothea was doing Petra’s makeup.

Hilda smiled as she put a little bit of eye shadow on Marianne’s eyes. “Who has a date to the ball?”

The silence was telling. The girls all exchanged looks across the room.

“Wait. Are we being serious right now?” Dorothea paused to sit up straight. “No one has a date?”

Edelgard sighed and put her brush down. “I have no interest in such matters. I prefer dancing with whoever during the ball. I also don’t want Hubert to get involved.”

Dorothea shot a look at the princess. “Edie, Hubie would be involved whether you had a date or not. He said it himself last night.” In her best imitation of Hubert’s voice she repeated what he had said the night before. It reminded her of Holst and his overprotective nature.

Bernadetta laughed a little. “Woah that was really good.” Dorothea bowed at her audience.

There was more silence. Then Annette cleared her throat. “Well…” All eyes were on her now. “Uh… Nevermind!” She buried her face into her hands.

“It’s ok Annie.” Mercedes smiled at her friend. Hilda caught the Blue Lions exchanging looks. “I’m sure if you ask he’ll dance with you at the ball.”

“Is it someone in our class?” Hilda chimed in. She had to know who Annette was thinking of. “Or is he in the Black Eagles?”

“Uh…” Annette’s voice strained with her face flushed red. “N-no he’s in our class.”

“Oh please tell me it’s not Sylvain.” Dorothea’s tongue was fast.

Annette furiously shook her head. “No! It’s not Sylvain! Really!”

There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone except Hapi. Dorothea resumed doing Petra’s makeup. “Good. Sylvain is just a flirt who only cares for outer appearance and has no real intention of settling with a woman.” Sylvain wasn’t in the room but if he were, he would have died right then and there.

Ingrid groaned from her end of the room. “Even when we were younger he would go around chasing skirts.” She rolled her eyes at whatever memories she was thinking of. “I thought he would change but he still goes around creating a mess that I have to clean up.”

Mercedes giggled as she brushed Ingrid’s long hair. “Oh come now. Sylvain is not some kind of monster. He can be quite an honest man at times.” Hearing Mercedes say that was bewildering but she was easily the sweetest person in all of Garreg Mach. There must be something she saw that no one else could see.

“I would have never thought of Sylvain as honest.” Hilda finished up Marianne’s eyeshadow. “Smart maybe but not honest.” Marianne’s eyes blinked open when she felt Hilda tap her nose. “Anyone else have something to say?”

“Ooo I do.” Hapi raised her hand up in the air but because she was on the ground it wasn’t very high. “Bernie bear,” She turned to look at the girl who was hiding under the table. “How do you know Yuri-bird?” That was a good question to ask. For some reason she flung herself onto him this morning. Bernadetta’s trembling grew with all the eyes on her. She turned her face away with a shriek. Hapi shrugged with the lack of an answer. “I can just ask Yuri-bird later.”

After a beat of silence, she answered the question. “He- he worked at House Varley when I was younger. He was the first friend I’ve ever had and I-I thought my father had killed him.”

Dorothea gasped at the story. “Yurikins was the boy from your story?” She looked under the table to see Bernadetta nod. “You must have been so relieved to see him here again.”

“N-n-n-no way he totally hates me!”

Hapi shook her head. Through her full mouth she murmured, “There’s no way Yuri-bird hates you.”

Constance spoke up now. “I agree. Yuri may be annoying and cunning and sarcastic and he may mock me!” Constance stopped and took in a deep breath. “But he does not hate his friends.” Bernadetta peeked a little at Constance. The trembling lessened a little hearing her say that.

Leonie smiled at her to try and ease her nerves. “Well I don’t really care for any of this. I can try dancing but this is all new to me.”

Once Hilda finished applying blush, Marianne spoke up. “M-me too.”

“Really? But aren’t you a noble?” Leonie looked at her bewildered.

“I’ve never been to a ball. I’ve always stayed home.” Hilda uncapped the lipstick and used a small brush to apply it. It was true that Marianne had never been to a ball. She had no memory of seeing her at previous Alliance Founding Day balls.

Lysithea, who had been sitting next to the pastries, finally spoke up. “House Ordelia doesn’t have the luxury to participate in balls but I have learned the etiquettes.” She passed Hapi another pastry.

Edelgard eyed the pastries by her. “May I have one?”

“Of course!” Lysithea hopped over with a plate of pastries in hand. “Which would you prefer?” When the two stood next to each other, Hilda noted their glistening white hair nearly flowing together. They were the only students to have white hair and they both liked sweets. How odd.

Edelgard looked over the pastries and selected one with a fruit filling. Mercedes hummed a little bit. “I’m so glad you all like the pastries.” Lysithea quickly went on about how important sweets were.

“Done!” Dorothea capped her lipstick and handed Petra a mirror.

Petra admired herself in the mirror with a smile. “I am liking this greatly! I have much gratitude!” She kept fawning over Dorothea’s work in the mirror.

Hilda also had finished Marianne’s makeup and handed a mirror to her as well. Marianne’s eyes widened at her reflection. It made her heart flutter to see her reaction. Finally Marianne let out a breath. “Wow…”

Dorothea moved onto doing Edelgard’s makeup and Hilda moved to Lysithea. The two white haired girls shifted in their seats as they prepared themselves. The last time Lysithea tried makeup, she gave up and ran away. She seemed to be trying her best to sit still.

“So Dorothea.” Hilda moved her head a little so her voice could reach her. “Is there anyone you’re interested in?” They had all watched her turn down Sylvain, Lorenz, and Ferdinand in one blow. It was amusing to see them turn to stone from her sharp tongue.

“Not really. I’ve been on a lot of first dates but never went on a second.” Hilda had never judged Dorothea for going around with different men. She was a little jealous. She knew if she ever went on a date, Holst would magically find out somehow. The thought of him fighting whoever she was with made her avoid it. “How about you Hilda? You seem to have a lot of boys on your heels.”

It was no secret that she got boys to do her work. It was also no secret that all those boys had also tried to appeal to her for other reasons. Hilda just sighed at it. “That’s true but none of them are interesting. Plus Holst would beat them up.”

“Beat them? Like meat?” Petra looked up from fixing her hair.

Hilda nodded. “He would beat them like they were slabs of meat.”

Lysithea closed her eyes as Hilda brought a brush up. “Hilda what is your opinion on the boys in all the classes?” It was cute how much Lysithea looked up to her like a big sister. “This is for research!”

Of course it was. Hilda chuckled a little. Lysithea was adorable. “Linhardt is odd but I have learned some nap tips from him.” Edelgard groaned a little bit. It must be different for her since she was their leader. “Caspar is funny. I like watching him run around shouting and starting fights.” That made Edelgard sigh. Dorothea quietly told her to stay still. “Ferdinand is also funny. He tries so hard.”

This time Dorothea groaned. “He tries too hard.”

“I concur.” Edelgard finally spoke up despite what Dorothea told her. “I know he means well but I wish he could tone it down.”

Hilda didn’t know how to put together her words for Hubert. She never really spoke to him before. “I don’t think I have an opinion on Hubert. He’s kind of scary I guess.”

To her surprise, Edelgard agreed. “Hubert also means well. But like Ferdinand I wish he could relax a little.”

“Ooo Blue Lions next!” Annette chirped up. Hilda looked up to see Ingrid looking at herself in a mirror.

Hilda thought for a second before speaking. “Dimitri is like the perfect prince. He’s kind, considerate, and innocent.” The Blue Lion girls all nodded in agreement. Hilda caught Marianne shifting in her seat at the mention of the prince. “Felix is like a cat.” Ingrid snorted at that answer. “Sylvain can be charming and he is good looking but I would never go on a date with him.” Dorothea nodded as if approving her answer. “Ashe is very sweet and I haven’t really talked with Dedue but he seems very loyal.” There was a silent tension when she said Dedue’s name. She knew a little of the Kingdom’s disdain towards Duscur. It was similar to the Alliance and Almyra. She was sure they all had some opinion on Dedue.

Lysithea smiled as Hilda continued her work. “Now for the Golden Deer.”

“Lorenz is annoying.” Leonie immediately snorted. “But lately he’s been less annoying.” Hilda still hadn’t figured out why but that was the case. “Raphael looks like a brute but in reality he’s a hard worker. Ignatz is a little too quiet. He lets people step on him all the time.” Lysithea nodded in agreement. Hilda gently took hold of her chin to keep her still. “And Claude is…”

Oh no.

She spent too much time with Claude to summarize him in just a few words. It wasn’t like she spent all her time with him doing her job as a retainer. Most of it was spent working with him rather than for him. If she took too long to answer they would start assuming things. “Claude is interesting.” Hilda flicked her eyes over to see Edelgard watching her as Dorothea grabbed something. “He’s goofy at times but then completely serious.”

“He really is.” Leonie was now snacking on a pastry. “One time I watched him wash dishes but instead he ended up washing the clothes he was wearing.”

“He did not know how to climb the tree.” Petra suddenly chimed in. “I had much fun to teaching him the art.”

“He also seems to nap a lot.” Ingrid piped in now.

“I would say out of all the nobles, he acts the least like one.” Leonie always had to say something about nobles. “Especially compared to the other leaders. Oh! No offense Edelgard.”

Edelgard shook her head. “It is quite alright. I will agree that Claude doesn’t act like other nobles. I would know seeing how I’m constantly surrounded by them back at home.”

Suddenly the doors burst open. Flayn came bouncing in and shut the doors behind her. “I’m sorry I’m late! My brother insisted I stay with him.”

The girls all greeted her in. The conversation moved on to something Hapi was more interested in, the food. Hilda and Dorothea finished up doing makeup for everyone. Together they helped each other with getting their hair just right. Before they knew it, the sun had fallen down the sky. It was time for the ball.

* * *

The reception hall had completely changed for the ball. Students were all mingling with each other. As the ball went on they moved out from the center of the hall to make room for when the music would begin. All of the classes were together as they laughed and shared the food.

Then the conductor raised his baton. The violins began to play as a cue. Students left and right began asking one another for a dance. A few stayed at the edges of the room but many began to move inside. Edelgard and Dimitri were the first ones to step out onto the floor. Soon the floor was filled with students dancing. Claude watched as someone asked Hilda for a dance. She accepted without hesitation. As he looked around he found professor Byleth standing at the edge of the crowd. Their eyes met and Claude approached him. He grabbed his hand,gave a wink, and then pulled him out onto the dance floor.

Many eyes were on them but none of that mattered. Claude laughed at the professor’s bewildered face. “What’s wrong Teach? Don’t dance?”

Professor Byleth stumbled as Claude took the lead. “No this is my first time.”

Claude grinned at him. “Perfect. I’m no good myself.”

The two stumbled around the floor. Professor Byleth did his best to follow Claude but since he was also struggling, it was a mess. They didn’t dance for long as Hilda glided over now dancing with Lorenz. “Oh perfect! I was just telling Lorenz that he should teach you how to dance.”

“I would be honored.” Claude let go of professor Byleth as Hilda pushed Lorenz into Claude’s arms.

Lorenz began his protest. “Wait this is completely-” But Hilda had already taken the professor’s hands and waltzed away.

There was pure horror on Lorenz’s face as Claude led him around the room. “I am so honored to have this dance with you Lorenz.”

With no escape, Lorenz straightened himself and began to lead. “Your form is lacking. You need to make sure you lead with your left foot, not the right.” To Claude’s surprise, he actually learned something from Lorenz. Once the lesson finished Lorenz moved onto dancing with a different girl.

Claude looked around the floor to see Hilda now dancing with Marianne. For the first time he saw Marianne smile. The two were giggling as they swept around the floor. He looked around for the other Golden Deers. Ignatz had gained the courage to join the dancing and Lysithea was also partaking in the activity. Leonie watched from the edges of the crowd while Raphael stayed by the food.

Seeing them all enjoying the ball gave him a snippet of hope. So much had happened this past year. After the Battle of the Eagle and Lion the Three Houses were spending more time with each other. Perhaps he made a permanent step forward to his dream.

Before he could get too lost in thought, he stepped away from the dance floor. With the lack of improvement in his dancing it would be rude to join. When there were less participants he would join again. For now he would continue to do what he was best at. Talking to others and hoping to break down walls.

* * *

Hilda danced for most of the night. At some point she watched Claude dance with the other house leaders. Edelgard judged his skill while Dimitri politely declined. Yuri accepted the invitation and for some reason bared his terrible dancing. She noticed that professor Byleth and several other students had slipped away from the ball.

As she took a break by the punch bowl, Sylvain slid up next to her. “Hey there cutie.” He leaned in with a sly smile. “How is your night?”

“Why hello there not as handsome.” It was far too amusing to see Sylvain’s face of distress. “How may I help you?”

Sylvain fixed himself up from the blow. With a barely audible whisper he said, “I snuck a few bottles of wine into my room.” Hilda looked up at him in bewilderment. “I’m inviting a few people so if you want to join you know where we’ll be.” With that he took off to whisper those words to someone else.

The invitation was tempting. She didn’t know who would be there. Not only that but she had never had wine before. This was probably the only chance she would have to do something rebellious without her brother knowing. This was something she had to accept.

Before leaving, Hilda asked Marianne if she wanted to join. She simply shook her head at the invitation saying she would rather stay at the ball. When Hilda saw her mingling with the Golden Deer, she assessed that she would be ok without her. So, with as much grace as possible, she slipped out of the party.

* * *

Of course Sylvain’s room was at the very end of the hall. Hilda’s feet already hurt from all the dancing she did. Now she had to climb up all those steps to the end of the hall for a sip of wine. As she reached the end of the hall, voices from Sylvain’s room crept from under the door. Hilda took in a deep breath and knocked.

The doors cracked open and she was greeted with a sliver of Sylvain. “You made it.” The doors opened up wide enough for her to step in.

Once she stepped in she saw several bodies in the room. To no surprise Ferdinand and Lorenz were here. What shocked her was Dorothea sitting on his bed with Constance. No one from the Blue Lions were at this small gathering.

Dorothea gasped when Hilda entered. “Hilda? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” After all of her negative talk about Sylvain, she didn’t expect to see her here. Dorothea kept silent this time. Hilda joined them on the bed. The room was oddly tense. “Did you not invite anyone from your own house Sylvain?”

Sylvain was digging around one of his dressers and produced two bottles of wine. Hilda recognized the label. The Alliance had their own vineyards but occasionally they would get wines from the Kingdom. “No way am I inviting the other Blue Lions. Especially Prince Dimitri.”

“Sylvain his room is next to yours.” Dorothea snapped at him. “I’m sure he will find out soon.”

Sylvain gave a lazy shrug. “I’m sure Ingrid has already found out and is on her way over right now.” He popped open one bottle and the cork bounced around the ground.

Lorenz turned around to grab a tray sitting behind him. There were several teacups sitting on the tray. “I have brought my finest teacups for this occasion.”

“You can’t drink wine from a teacup!” Constance got up from the bed and grabbed a cup. She inspected it as she continued to berate him. “A fine wine must be drunk from a glass stem. Not a teacup!”

Ferdinand stood up and grabbed two cups. “Constance calm yourself. I do agree that this is improper, however, we do not have such glassware now.” The three nobles began to bicker about the proper cupware they were supposed to drink from. Sylvain ignored them and began to pour wine into the cups.

Dorothea rolled her eyes at them. “Nobles… As if it matters where you drink from.” She must have forgotten Hilda was one. When she remembered, she turned to her. “You don’t seem to care.”

Hilda just shrugged. “There are too many rules. I just want to try some wine.”

“Oh? Is this your first wine?” Sylvain handed a cup to her. “These wines have a lower alcohol content but if you’ve never had wine before you’ll still feel something.”

The wine was white. Hilda swirled the cup around a bit to watch the liquid spin. She took a sniff of it. There were times wine would be served at dinner but because she was younger she never had a glass. Eventually the three nobles stopped bickering to fill their cups. Ferdinand handed one cup off to Dorothea who reluctantly accepted it. Once they all had a cup they clinked them together in a cheers. Putting the cup to her lips she took the tiniest sip. It was a refreshing taste, not that she could compare this wine to anything, but it wasn’t what she had expected.

Constance sighed after her sip. “This is far more refreshing than Empire wines.”

Ferdinand nodded in agreement. “Chardonnay from the Empire tastes of citruses.”

Lorenz took a few more sips before adding his two cents. “The Alliance leans towards a fruit-”

Dorothea groaned at the three. “Can we just drink the wine? It all tastes the same.” Her statement sent shock to the three. They began to discuss the nuisance of wine and the qualities one must look for. Dorothea took another large sip of the wine and held her cup out for Sylvain to refill. Hilda followed her example. Sylvain happily refilled everyone’s cups as the night continued.

* * *

It wasn’t hard to notice that people were leaving the ball. But it seemed odd that several loud nobles were missing. Not only that but Claude hadn’t felt Hilda’s presence for some time.

When he ran into Ingrid and Felix he asked if they had seen Hilda and Lorenz. Ingrid pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. “I think I know where they are… We’re going to Sylvain’s room now. He totally snuck some wine in. I can’t imagine what’s happening right now.” Ingrid looked exhausted over the thought of her friend sneaking in wine.

“Don’t tell the boar. If he finds out we’re all dead.” Felix’s nickname for Dimitri puzzled Claude. There was no reason to call someone so princely a boar.

“Come on let’s go.” Ingrid led the way out of the ball. Claude followed suit.

* * *

Ingrid burst through Sylvain’s doors without an invitation. Just as she said, there were bottles of wine on the back drawers of the room. Lorenz, Ferdinand, Constance, Sylvain, Dorothea, and Hilda were all sitting in the room with teacups of wine.

“Really Sylvain?” Ingrid’s arms were crossed with enraged disappointment on her face.

Almost everyone in the room had taken off their jackets except for Ferdinand. Sylvain in particular had unbuttoned his shirt. He lazily looked up at Ingrid with a smile. “Hey Ingrid. Come join us!”

“No way! I came here to-”

Before Ingrid could finish, Dorothea approached her. “Come Ingrid. A cup won’t hurt.” Claude watched as Dorothea pressed her body up against Ingrid. Her face flushed red as Dorothea’s face got closer to hers. Felix rolled his eyes and kicked Sylvain. “You too Felix.” Dorothea reached out and grabbed Felix’s face. “Loosen up a bit.”

If only to create chaos, Claude walked over to the wine and poured three cups. He handed two of them to Ingrid and Felix. “We wouldn’t want to miss out on the party.”

Ingrid gasped at Claude’s betrayal. “How could you?”

Sylvain popped back up. “Come on Ingrid when’s the next time we can do something like this?” Ingrid weighed Sylvain’s words. Then she grabbed the cup Claude extended and chugged it down. Felix took the other cup in defeat.

“Yay!” Hilda threw her hands into the air. “Claude you get your own cup!”

Claude did exactly that. He had never had wine before. This was going to be a truly interesting event.

* * *

Sylvain had snuck in several bottles of wine. In some odd way it was a miracle with the number of people in the room. As they drank the temperature of the room grew. They eventually popped open the windows to let the winter air in. Decency began to go out the window. Bottoms stayed but their tops began to slip off their bodies. Sylvain was now completely topless. Those who tried to keep their clothes on gave in to the heat while some had unbuttoned their shirts. Claude preferred only wearing a shirt anyways as he ditched his jacket. Dorothea and Hilda were lounging on the bed while the three noblest nobles took over the dressers. Everyone else took a spot on the floor.

Conversations shifted throughout the night. The more they drank the more absurd things got. Things that they would never say out loud were being said as they shared secrets they hoped no one would remember. Claude purposely only had one cup to keep himself together. Even with only one cup he still found his head spinning a little. The three nobles divulged about the not very serious, un-noble acts they had done to the group. Their stories made everyone laugh. If anything it made the noble nobles appear more human. A few childhood stories from the Faerghus friends were shared to the group. Dorothea told of her time as a diva in the opera with a few stories. Hilda only shared stories of her youth with Holst. Despite being drunk, she seemed to avoid divulging into anything that was under her outer layers. The addition of alcohol made his craving to know more drove him over the edge. If he tried to get her to tell more there was a chance the rest of the room would grow suspicious. So he kept listening to whatever morsels she gave.

Eventually the conversation led to something more scandalous as Hilda whined to Dorothea. “You’re so lucky. If I did that my breasts would just fall out.” The two girls were holding hands as they exchanged different methods of dressing for their chests. Hilda had only unbuttoned the collar of her shirt.

Dorothea flipped her hair over her shoulder. Everyone except Sylvain tried their best to not look at her. She had unbuttoned half of her shirt to expose her chest. “I don’t care to give the Goddess blessings but she did bless me with these.” She placed her hands under her chest and pushed it up. Claude could see faces blushing red as they failed to avoid looking.

Constance was looking down at herself attempting to imitate Dorothea. Ferdinand tried to stop her. “Constance please it is indecent to-”

“Oh Ferdie you are too pure.” In an attempt to retort back, Ferdinand turned to Dorothea only to turn away again. “Sylvain is literally sitting without a shirt on.”

“And the ladies love it.” He gestured to the washboard abs on his body.

Ingrid smacked him in the head. “The ladies most definitely do not love it.” Despite what she said, Claude caught her staring for a second too long.

“Oh please the ladies just line up to get a taste of me.” This time Felix smacked Sylvain.

Claude snorted at the three friends. “I don’t see anyone lining up right now.”

Lorenz let out a laugh that could only be described as a holler. Sylvain glared at him. “Oh so can you do any better?”

Claude wouldn’t have answered this sober. The singular cup he had wasn’t enough to get him talking either. “Maybe I can do better but you’ll never know.” Sealing his words with a wink.

Dorothea stirred at those words. “Really?” Her hair fell over her shoulders as she leaned in. “So you’ve been intimate with someone?”

“What a lovely way to say that.” Claude caught her eyes and they exchanged equal smirks. “But that will stay my own secret.”

Hilda groaned at him. “You and your secrets.” She squinted at him as if to dig into his mind. “One time a boy gave me a flower and Holst chased him around our estate.”

“So you’re a virgin?” Sylvain’s voice purred at her. It wasn’t something to get worked up over but Claude found himself now wanting to smack him the way Ingrid and Felix did. Hilda ignored the purr. “So Dorothea and I are the only non virgins and Claude won’t tell us anything. Well if anyone wants to-”

“Shut up!” Felix hissed at Sylvain and covered his mouth. “The boar is coming.” The room grew silent as they listened. In the hall the sound of metal greaves hitting the floor grew closer. Those greaves unmistakably belonged to Dimitri.

On instinct everyone got up from their places and rushed to huddle together by the right corner away from the door. Claude was pushed against the wall which meant he would be the last to escape if anything went wrong. Hilda was pressed up against his left side. It was cramped with everyone rubbing against each other but they fit. Sylvain threw his shirt over the bottles of wine and pushed them out of view from the door. He joined the huddled group in the corner with a hushed whisper. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know!” Ingrid gave an equally panicked whisper. “Maybe he’s just going to his room.” Everyone listened for the footsteps to stop before Sylvain’s door but they kept coming closer. “Damn it!”

Felix pushed Sylvain away from the huddled group. “This is your fault so you figure it out!”

The footsteps stopped in front of the door. Silence fell on the group as a knock came down on the door. “Sylvain?” Dimitri’s voice crept under the closed doors. “Sylvain are you there?” There was a silent argument between the three Faerghus friends on what to do. “Are you sure they are here?” His voice seemed to turn away from the door to speak with whoever he was with. The other voice couldn’t be heard no matter how hard Claude tried to concentrate on it. The only thing he could hear was his racing heartbeat. The sound of Dimitri grabbing the door handles echoed in the room as everyone silently gasped.

Suddenly Dorothea broke away from the group and crawled onto the bed. Everyone watched as she started bouncing on the bed and let out a loud, sensuous moan. Claude didn’t believe in the goddess the people of Fodlan prayed to, but as Dorothea moaned he felt as if this goddess was testing him. Looking around he could see the others having a similar flustered reaction. He subtly adjusted himself to avoid contact below his waist especially with Hilda pressed against him.

They couldn’t see Dimitri’s reaction but they could hear him step away from the door. “M-my apologies we should get going.” His voice wasn’t speaking to the doors but to whoever he was with. Footsteps going down the hall filled the room. Once they were far enough away from them, everyone broke away from the huddle.

“Are you insane?” Sylvain hissed at Dorothea who sat back down on his bed. “Do you have any idea what will happen to me tomorrow morning?!”

“That’s your problem to fix!” Dorothea hissed right back at him. “For now I saved all of us!” Saved was a strong word. Everyone’s faces were flushed bright red as they tried their best to turn away from Dorothea.

Sylvain grumbled under his breath. “I guess that concludes our night. His highness will be back.” Everyone agreed to the statement. Jackets were picked up and shirts were buttoned up. The Faeghus friends begrudgingly helped Sylvain clean up the mess. One by one bodies left the room to get back to their own rooms.

Claude watched as Hilda stumbled around to grab her boots. They were the last two who needed to leave the room. When she finally gathered her belongings, she crashed into him. He put his arm under hers to help steady her footing. In return she wrapped her arms around him for support. However much she drank showed as the few steps they took in the hallway were not pretty.

As they reached his room, Hilda stopped walking. “My room is too far…” Drunk Hilda had a death grip around him. Claude couldn’t wiggle out of it. “I’m just going to sleep in your room…”

Perhaps it was the wine or the fact he had just heard Dorothea moan, but Claude found himself burning up. “You don’t want me to escort you back to your room?”

Hilda shook her head. “Your bed is big enough for two people anyways…” Without another word, she stood up to pull him into his room. Once inside she threw her boots down and her jacket onto his chair. Before Claude could do anything he was being dragged into bed.

There was no escape. Claude could feel his muscles stiffen up as Hilda nestled into him. His heart was beating so hard he was sure it would burst out of his chest. Deep breaths were taken to try and cool his blood. After a few minutes when he thought everything was in the clear, Hilda shifted a little letting out the tiniest moan. Her legs wrapped around his right leg. Claude did his best to shift over to his left side. This was a mistake as Hilda pulled him back in.

So this was how the goddess of Fodlan would test him.

* * *

It felt like he had spent hours trying to keep calm. When his eyes opened again it was morning. Hilda was still cuddled up against him. Instead of getting out of bed, Claude decided to fall asleep again. This time he leaned into Hilda’s body embracing the warmth.

When the two woke up it was the afternoon. Hilda scurried out of Claude’s room to change in her room. The two met in the dining hall to eat lunch. Neither of them brought up what happened last night. Instead they kept the conversation light doing their best to avoid whatever thoughts they had.

Lorenz eventually joined them. He too did not say a word about last night. Especially after the things he had divulged were less than noble. More Golden Deers joined with the conversation shifting to the wondrous things that happened during the ball. Raphael had apparently eaten so much food they had to stop him. Lysithea, Leonie, and Ignatz were satisfied with experiencing the ball. Marianne was quiet as usual but she occasionally said something to Hilda.

As lunch finished the knights began to shuffle around in hurried paces. The Golden Deers left to see what was happening. At the entrance the Black Eagles were rushing into the monastery. Then professor Byleth came walking in with captain Jeralt in his arms, blood dripping down from his body.

Leonie locked herself up in her room and didn’t leave. When the Golden Deers would visit her, they could hear her wailing from under the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I'm being honest I kind of went off the rails with this chapter for my own indulgence


	13. Guardian Moon 1180

For one week professor Byleth stayed to himself. Moving from his room to the Captain’s Quarters as a daily routine. The Black Eagles would join the other classes as professor Hanneman and professor Manuela helped with teaching. Leonie was still showing up to classes by some miracle.

As more details came out it spawned numerous rumors. Claude listened to all the whispers that escaped. The only way to get the truth was to find it. Of course that was easier said than done. After all these months of research he had very little answers. Crests were gifts given by the goddess to help fight Nemesis. Heroes Relics were wielded by the Ten Elites who helped Saint Seiros defeat Nemesis. Each Relic has a Crest stone that was connected to each Elites Crest. The Ten Elites then passed their Crests onto their families. Some Crests were lost to time with very few descendents having these lost Crests. If an individual without a Crest used a Relic, it would corrupt them and turn them into a Beast. According to legend, Seiros was summoned during this moon along with the winds from the Immaculate One’s wings.

It still didn’t explain what the Immaculate One was, how professor Byleth could use the Sword of the Creator, why the Crest stone was missing, and why this mysterious group was after Flayn’s blood. What did blood have to do with any of this? Claude was able to get a few more books from Abyss out to read. Hilda stayed by his side as they continued to dive into each new book. He would have to find a way to thank Yuri for his help.

Profesor Byleth passed by the classroom yards on his daily routine of going up to the Captain’s Quarters. Classes had finished and his afternoon happened to be free. Hilda said she couldn’t do extra axe training with him today which meant another afternoon to himself. It was decided that he would follow the professor today.

As Claude reached the stairs, a voice stopped him. “No training with Hilda today?”

Claude turned around to see Edelgard right behind him. It was odd that she knew about their training but their classes did merge temporarily so it was possible she saw them leaving for the training grounds. “No, Hilda had other things to do today. And you?”

Edelgard sighed. “I’m going to check on the professor.” That was something he didn’t expect from her. Not that he viewed her as uncaring but he didn’t think she would try to comfort anyone. “I assume you are heading to the library.”

No he wasn’t but now he needed to act like he was. “I am. I have some reading to do.” The two walked up the stairs without saying much and parted ways.

Claude walked past all of the offices and stopped once he was in the other hallway. After a few minutes Edelgard left the room. Then he heard the professor leave. After waiting for a minute longer to make sure they weren’t coming back, Claude made his way to the Captain’s Quarters.

Nothing seemed out of place. Professor Byleth must have not touched a single thing in the room. As Claude scanned the room he saw a journal open on the table. He listened for any footsteps outside before picking it up. There was no telling if the professor was going to return. Before he began reading he gave a silent apology to him. There was no time to lose as he read as quickly and as much as possible.

* * *

Hilda couldn’t keep her temper together. There were so many new whispers travelling the monastery. The latest ones threw a wave of anger over her head. Marianne’s words were nothing to her as she kept hearing the same rumors over and over.

_ The beast would be working with them. We can’t keep someone that dangerous at the monastery. Who knows when she’ll turn on us all. _

Another dummy fell with the slightest flick. Hilda could see the steam rising off of her hands as she gripped the steel axe. They didn’t know anything about her and yet they were throwing these rumors as if they did. 

“Hilda!” The anger swallowing her mind made her miss Claude’s voice calling for her.

Hilda turned around to see Claude leaning against his axe. She wasn’t sure when he got here but it couldn’t have been that long ago. “Hey Claude.”

“Are you training without me?” Despite her current emotional state, she found herself laughing at his question. Claude picked up the axe and headed over to the dummy she had just knocked down. “I thought you hated extra work.”

Hilda just shrugged. She didn’t want to admit she was here to let out some pent up feelings. “Oh I just wanted to get some work in before it got too cold.”

With every ounce of strength, Claude lifted the axe over his head and brought it slicing down onto the dummy. He truly was a quick study seeing how he had mastered the basics of wielding an axe in less than four months. Being able to bring a steel axe over your head wasn’t an easy feat. Whatever his reasons were, it was clear he really wanted to pass the wyvern rider test.

“What kind of work?” The axe was wedged into the ground. Hilda lifted her brow as he struggled to pull it out of the ground. Another incredible feat since the grounds were basically frozen.

Hilda walked over and pulled the axe out without any trouble. Claude looked at her wide eyed as he took the axe back. “Work on myself.”

“Really?” The way his voice went up at the end of the question meant he didn’t believe her. “Is there any other axe skill you need to learn?”

For a second she chewed on her words then realized it would be more exhausting to not tell him. It would also be unfair since she hated when he kept secrets. “Have you heard all the rumors going around?” Of course he did but she still needed to ask him.

Claude picked up the split dummy in both arms. “Is this a conversation that needs to be had in a private place?” A question to answer a question. Classic Claude.

“Perhaps.” No one was here but it was better to be safe.

“Good. I have some information I need to sort out.” They exchanged knowing smiles and began to clean up. Once everything was put back they headed to Claude’s room. It was getting cold anyways. A hot pot of tea would help warm her up as well as relax her nerves.

* * *

The latest book Yuri suggested was an in depth history on the Heroes that saved Fodlan. The Ten Elites or so he thought there were Ten Elites. Claude quickly explained what he had recently read to Hilda. She playfully scolded him for a bit for reading ahead without her. The truth was that the Elites used to stand as eleven. Nemesis was the leader and together they fought for Fodlan’s safety. Then they grew corrupt from the Relics and Saint Seiros defeated them with the Four Saints. In the end the Ten Elites did not fight with Seiros and the Saints against Nemesis. They were the ones who had allied with Nemesis. As he began to read about the eleventh Hero, he found some pages were torn from the book preventing him from reading more.

After he finished explaining, Hilda began to tell him about the rumors. He knew about them since he had kept an open ear for anything that might lead to something worthwhile. He never imagined Hilda would get so agitated over people calling Marianne a beast.

“Marianne has a Crest right?” Claude recalled seeing her papers list a Crest but he could be remembering wrong. “If she does have one we’ve never seen it.”

Hilda shrugged. “I don’t remember if House Edmund even had an associated Crest. Holst would know all of that information.”

“There’s a chance her Crest belongs to one that was lost.” Claude turned around to his desk and began to dig around the drawers. The papers he received from the beginning of the year had to be here somewhere. When he found the papers, he pulled them out and spread them on the desk. He could feel Hilda standing over him to take a peek.

The top paper was Hilda’s information with notes scribbled all over it. “Really Claude? You think I’m lazy?” It was a whimsical question but she still gently elbowed him.

He turned to give a large grin. “Hey these notes are from the beginning of the year.” Hilda rolled her eyes at his words. Claude shuffled through until he found Marianne’s paper. There wasn’t a Crest listed. “That’s weird… Why did Linhardt want to talk to her if she doesn’t have a Crest?”

“Linhardt will talk to Marianne but not me?” Hilda actually sounded annoyed this time. “All he does is give me short replies even after all the research we do together.”

“It seems he only talks to those who hold his interest.” That wasn’t meant to be a jab but it sounded like one. Hilda huffed a little but accepted it. “She’s hiding something… When I talked to her back in Verdant Rain moon she seemed to be hiding something.”

“What did she say?” Hilda returned to sitting on his bed.

Claude turned back and took a second to think about it. “Well she found my pendant and then I talked to her about Margrave Edmund. She just left after that so I apologized to her the next day.” Hilda just nodded. “Did you know that she’s adopted?” She probably already knew this with all the time the two girls spent together.

“I did know.” His prediction was correct. “She told me he’s actually a distant relative.”

“I’m going to talk to Linhardt when I see him next. For now let’s not jump to any conclusions about Marianne’s lineage.” After all he had more information to process.

Now he could talk about Jeralt’s diary. Hilda actually scolded him this time. “You snuck in and read his diary?!” Claude nodded and braced himself. In a hushed whisper she continued. “Claude von Riegan if you got caught what do you think would have happened?!”

It was a possibility he had calculated but couldn’t imagine what would have actually happened. “It’s a good thing I went at night.” That didn’t stop Hilda’s glaring. “And that I’m a fast reader.”

That made her groan and roll her eyes. “Ok well what was in it?”

So Claude explained everything he had read. Even the sappy entries explaining his love towards his former wife. Most importantly the baby that Captain Jeralt had was the professor himself. “So the professor was born to Jeralt and a nun named Sitri at Garreg Mach. Teach apparently doesn’t have a heartbeat but has a pulse.”

“That’s scary.” There was a visible shiver going down her spine. As she silently sat on the bed her eyes suddenly locked with his. “Wait in the diary there was an entry about almost dying right?” Claude nodded. “And he lived after Rhea gave him some of her blood.” Claude nodded again. “Those people, Tom- I mean Solon and Monica were looking for Flayn’s blood right?” Claude gave a third nod.

Then it clicked. “Flayn has the Major Crest of Cethleann.” It was Hilda’s turn to nod. “And Rhea has the Crest of Seiros.” Everything was falling into place. “Captain Jeralt had the Crest of Seiros as well. Which means…”

“You can get a Crest from blood.” They had shared the same words.

“If that’s the case then nobles could just be drinking blood so their offspring have Crests.” This information only brought in more questions. “Not everyone born from Crest bearing parents is born with a Crest and the strength of those Crests seem random.”

“Then shouldn’t the professor have the Crest of Seiros not the Crest of Flames?” Hilda was spot on. He couldn’t figure out why he had a different Crest no matter how he put the information together. “Unless whatever Lady Rhea did caused him to get that Crest. I… I never imagined Lady Rhea would do something like that…”

Claude never faulted Hilda for believing the church. She grew up in a system that favored her family. Everything she learned growing up was because of the church. At the same time she never seemed to judge his disbelief in the goddess. She seemed to accept that where he came from was a godless land. In the end they were both uncovering something big.

Hilda shook her head and collapsed onto the bed. “My head hurts…” She covered her face with her hands. “And I still have to write Holst back…”

Claude plopped onto the bed causing her body to jump a little. “I think we did enough thinking today.” Hilda lifted her hands up to look up at him. “Want to hear a story?” The smile she gave answered the question. The story this time was one from not too long ago. A fun little story about being chased by a fox.

* * *

The letter Hilda just sent to Holst was pointless. An express messenger from her house had just delivered her an urgent message. Behind the messenger was a small caravan waiting for her. Before classes started, Hilda ran to the classroom to tell professor Manuela she had to leave. She explained how Holst had asked her to come home to help him defend Fodlan’s Throat. As she explained the situation, Cyril overheard and asked to come with. After a bit of talk Hilda agreed to bring him with.

The two began to pack up for the trip when Claude found them. “Where are you going?” Hilda explained the situation to Claude as quickly as she could. When she finished, Claude sighed briefly, throwing his head back. “The Almyrans are causing trouble? How come I didn’t hear about it?”

It was true that anything that happened at Fodlan’s Locket was to be reported to Duke Riegan. Claude seemed genuinely surprised to hear that something was happening. If she read him right, he seemed almost annoyed by the news. “Maybe Holst knew I would tell you.” She gave a quick shrug as she shoved the last of her things into her bag.

“I’m ready Hilda!” Cyril jogged over to her with a packed bag. “I even packed snacks for any kids I find.”

“Ok I’m almost done.” Hilda grabbed a short axe and placed it on her holster. “I’ll be back in a few days ok? Don’t get hurt or something.” She hoisted her pack over her shoulder as she spoke to Claude.

“Good luck you two.” The two waved goodbye to him and left for the entrance.

Hilda looked back one more time to see Claude give a wave. Then she took off for the wagons and horses that were waiting for her.

* * *

Claude watched as Hilda and Cyril took off to Fodlan’s Throat. He was grateful that Hilda had informed her but he was annoyed that he had not heard about this sooner. This was something he should have caught wind about much sooner especially with the deal he had struck. With Hilda gone for a few days that left him to continue research on his own.

“Where is Hilda going?” Claude jumped a little. He didn’t expect Lorenz to appear next to him and yet here he was.

“Fodlan’s Throat. Holst asked her to come home to help him.”

“Are the Almyrans causing trouble? After all these months of peace?”

Claude shrugged not wanting to tell him much more. “It appears to be that way.” Before Lorenz could say another word, Claude looked up at him to meet his eyes and asked, “Hey can you help me with something?”

Lorenz squinted at him. There was still a bit of skepticism that he held onto even with them on friendlier terms. “And that is?”

“I need help planning a party.”

* * *

Fodlan’s Throat was full of action by the time they arrived. They had travelled as quickly as possible only resting when they had to sleep. Cyril offered to flank the Almyran army from a back road he knew about. Hilda let him go as she ran up to the entrance of the Throat.

A soldier ran to greet her as she ran through the gate. “Hilda! Glad you made it! Lord Holst has been afflicted with a sudden illness and couldn't come…”

“He's not here?! Oh... I'm sorry. You must have been absolutely terrified.” They weren’t the only ones who were. Hilda had never fought at Fodlan’s Throat. She had never led the Goneril army before. “It's ok though! I brought along someone who can definitely help us!” The soldiers all bowed to her. Hilda prayed Cyril would be successful from his end.

One of the retainers approached and bowed. “What are your orders Miss Goneril?”

Hilda looked out at the land. There were two giant birds on the left. Almyran soldiers were scattered around with various mounts. The ones riding wyverns were in the back circling around in the sky. Hilda took in a deep breath before speaking. “We need to take out the birds. Archers go to the left and anyone on horseback goes to the right. The rest of us go down the middle.”

The soldiers saluted and split off. Hilda adjusted the grip on her axe before running down the middle bridge. With the soldiers by her side they took out the Almyrans at the end of the bridge. Any that had taken minimal damage began to run off. The others were not as fortunate as their bodies fell limp. With the bridge cleared she could see the left and right side fighting. Hilda looked out to see if Cyril had made it to the battle but saw no one.

The giant birds let out a screech that took over the whole mountain. Hilda looked to see the birds terrorizing the archers. “The rest of you go around behind the birds to help the archers!” The soldiers nodded and began to make their way to the birds.

“What about you Miss Goneril?” One of the retainers remained waiting for an answer.

“I need to help my friend. Now go!” Hilda took off to find Cyril. She could hear the retainer join the rest of the soldiers.

There was still no sign of Cyril. Hilda hacked at an Almyran cavalier and continued her search. Two more Goneril armored knights were within the trees fighting off several Almyran cavaliers and archers. Then Cyril broke through the treeline with a few more Goneril soldiers. As he approached her, she caught one of the archers taking aim at him.

“Cyril duck!” Without a second to lose, Hilda unlatched her short axe and threw it straight at the archer. Cyril ducked as the arrow whizzed past him. She didn’t have a chance to see if she hit her mark as an Almyran cavalier came charging at her. In a few swings the soldier was thrown off of his horse and running off to meet his allies.

“Hilda I’ll go to the left.” Cyril got back up onto his feet and readjusted his grip on his axe.

“Got it!” Hilda turned to the knights and pointed at Cyril. “Follow him and help the others!” The knights looked at him with hesitation. “I said go!” With that the knights followed behind Cyril.

The first thing she needed to do was pick up her short axe. Hilda quickly instructed her battalion to go to the right first and provide support to the other soldiers. Once they left she ran over to the archer she threw the axe at.

The axe had hit its mark. Hilda picked up the bloody axe with remorse. This wasn’t the first time she had taken a life and it wouldn’t be the last. She looked at the now dead Almyran that laid on the ground. Taking note the green tunic he was wearing to the way his hair was styled. There was a tiny braid in his hair. As she placed the axe back into its holster the thunderous sound of a pair of wyvern wings approached her. Hilda looked up to see a wyvern rider flying towards her. The soldier stood on up in his saddle and pulled out a bow. He knocked an arrow and pulled back with his aim set on her. Hilda knew she was at a disadvantage. She twisted her foot into the ground and waited for him to release the shot.

The moment his fingers let go of the string, she took off towards the soldier. Several more arrows were shot and each one was barely dodged. One arrow finally ripped past her left arm. Hilda held back from barking out in pain. Once she was close enough she reached back and threw the short axe at him. He maneuvered the wyvern with ease causing the axe to only clip the wing. The wyvern let out a roar as the axe ripped through. The soldier riding the wyvern came down from the sky allowing the wyvern to rest.

Hilda watched as he stepped down from his wyvern. He was also dressed in green with a gold geometric pattern at the hem. The soldier sheathed his bow and unlatched the axe strapped to his back. The two stared at each other for a second. Then he lunged towards her bringing the axe up over his head. Hilda stepped to the side and met his axe with hers. They pushed against each other until she twisted her torso to throw him off to the side.

Finally she got a closer look at him. The soldier looked young, possibly no older than her. A tiny braid fell on the right side of his face. Hilda tilted her head as she examined him. Sure enough there was an earring on his left earlobe just like-

Any thoughts she had was interrupted as he came back with another swing of his axe. “Wait!” Hilda knew he couldn’t understand her but she couldn’t help but try. Instead of pushing against him, she jumped back causing him to fall forwards. “Wait!” She put her hand out in front of her hoping it would translate. The soldier did wait with a puzzled look on his face. Slowly, she leaned over to her side and put her axe down. With both hands stretched out in front of her, she began to approach him.

This idea was crazy. He could attack her at any moment. But she needed to know. She needed to know so much. There was so much she wanted to learn but didn’t know how to ask. “I-”

The blare of horns echoed in the mountains. The boy looked up into the sky then back down at her. He bowed at her and turned to his wyvern. There was a small bag of supplies on the saddle of the wyvern. Hilda watched as he quickly cleaned the wound on the wyvern’s wings. The two made eye contact one last time before he flew off. Other wyvern riders began leaving to ride off back to Almyra. The remaining Almyran soldiers began to leave as well. All of them ignoring her as they passed by.

All her life she was taught that they were a bunch of ruthless brutes. If that were true, why did that one boy stop fighting her when she put her axe down? Why did they just leave after the blare of the horns? Why were they even retreating? Holst always told tales of his battles to be bloody locks of fighting. So why would they just leave like this?

“Hilda!” Her thoughts were interrupted again this time by Cyril’s voice.

Hilda picked up her axe and took in a deep breath. “We did it somehow. Cyril-” She paused when she saw him smiling. “Thank you.”

Cyril nodded at her. “You bet.”

“I'm gonna drop by my family's estate and complain to my brother a bit. You should head back.” She had so much to think about. So many questions to ask.

“I can wait. It’ll be better if we go back together.”

Hilda didn’t fight him. She simply picked up her short axe and marched off to the entrance of the Throat. The soldiers all congratulated her work. She hadn’t done anything. All she did was kill and then try and talk to one of them. This praise wasn’t earned. Together, the retainers and soldiers headed down the mountain.

Hilda brought Cyril with to the estate. He waited for her outside as she went to talk with Holst. Despite being ill, he was full of energy once she finished telling him that the situation was dealt with. He wouldn’t leave her alone as servants packed her wagon. Every attempt at keeping her brother at bay did little to nothing. Right before she left the entrance doors, he practically threw Freikugel at her and went back to his room, preventing her from giving the Relic back. Hilda groaned and had the servants shove it into her wagon.

When she emerged from the entrance Cyril was still there. The escorts asked if they were ready to leave and Hilda nodded as she mounted her horse. As they travelled down the road, Hilda cleared her throat. “Hey Cyril.”

“Hm?” He looked over at her with a raised brow.

“Can you tell me more about Almyra?”

* * *

The past few days were truly quiet without Hilda. Claude wondered if it was the same for her when he had left for Derdriu. With Hilda gone though it allowed him to plan and finish up work he had started a while ago. Not that he didn’t like Hilda spending time with him but it prevented him from doing certain things. He could tell she disliked secrets so finishing up loose ends without her was necessary.

Hilda and Cyril should be arriving sometime this week if he calculated correctly. Claude sat outside in the field by the roads waiting. As if they could hear his thoughts, escorts with the Crest of Goneril came through the main road of Garreg Mach. Hilda and Cyril were behind on horseback. Claude got up and headed back to the monastery. He wanted to be the first to greet them.

Now in the entrance hall, Claude stood at the bottom of the stairs. The doors opened with Cyril and Hilda, with a new axe in hand, making their way inside. Claude raised his hand to give a wave. “Hey you two. How was it?” There was conflict in his mind. On one hand he wanted to know and the other dreaded the news.

Cyril shook his head in disappointment. “They aren't really trying to cross Fódlan's Throat. I'm not saying they're not serious, but fights like this one aren't really invasions.”

“Oh?” Claude wasn’t relieved to hear that. It didn’t explain why the agreement was broken. He probably wasn’t going to get that answer for some time.

“They just start fights like this sometimes. It's so they can show off how strong they are. I think it's pretty dumb. I mean, people are getting killed! And why? So some guy can think he's tough?” Cyril crossed his arms in frustration. “After every fight, they do a big feast, and everybody eats and dances and there's music... It's supposed to honor the dead, but I figure they just like to make noise. I think they're all idiots,” It hurt to hear Cyril say that. It was a ritual he missed quite a bit. “But if I'm real honest, it wasn't the worst way to live life.” There a tiny small gracing his face.

From their conversation back in Wyvern moon Cyril had expressed not missing Almyra. Claude couldn’t help but ask him a question. “Feeling homesick?”

Cyril shook his head. “Nah, I'm where I belong now, and I don't really like Almyra. If they wanna show how tough they are, then they oughta look after kids who've lost their parents.” He had mentioned that before. Claude swore once again to fix this when the time came.

“And what do you have there Hilda?” Claude looked at the axe in her hand.

“Freikugel.” She lifted the axe and held it in both hands. “When I told Holst we'd handled the Almyran situation, he was just gushing with praise. I tried telling him that it wasn't all me, but he didn't even listen.” Hilda shook her head at the memory. “He started trying to pawn off his whole inheritance. I told him I wanted none of it! Eventually he settled for foisting this on me.”

The three of them looked at the axe for a second. Claude almost touched it but held back. “So he gave you Freikugel as a gift.”

“Yeah. I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t even know how to use it!” Hilda grimaced as she held the axe. “Look, some of the parts are pulsating. It’s so gross!” Claude hadn’t noticed it at first but the more he looked the more he could see what Hilda was talking about. The spikes coming out of the fan-like shape were ever so slightly moving. “I’m going to put this away in my room.” Hilda turned to Cyril and bowed to him. “Thank you again Cyril. You helped me a lot.”

“It’s no problem.” Cyril gave a small smile. “Thanks for letting me come with you.”

The two exchanged smiles and parted ways. Claude followed behind Hilda as she made her way to her room. “So you really don’t want Freikugel?”

Hilda shook her head. “No way. Holst just threw this onto me. I’ve never used a Heroes Relic before. And ever since…” She looked around to see if a certain red head was nearby. “Ever since what happened to Sylvain’s brother, I don’t know if I want to use one.”

“But you have the Crest of Goneril.” The two walked up the stairs to their dorms. “You know having a compatible Crest means you can wield the Relic.”

They quickly reached her room with their pace. Hilda pushed the doors open and put the axe away. When she emerged she only sighed. “I know but… It’s just so creepy looking.” She silently stood at her door thinking about it. “Hey Claude, do you want to hear about what happened?”

Again he was conflicted. He so desperately wanted to know and didn’t want to know about the details. As Claude opened his mouth, Hilda cut in. “Holst also gave me a bunch of other presents. I can get a pot of tea going and then I can tell you.”

“That sounds lovely.” Claude smiled at her mixed expression. Hilda didn’t say another word as she went back into her room. So, he went up to his room and waited. Every minute dragging by as he waited.

* * *

The two sat on the bed together sipping on their tea. Hilda wanted to calm her nerves before she began telling Claude what happened. So little and so much had happened. Once she was ready, she told the whole story. From Holst being sick to the giant birds and to Cyril helping the Goneril soldiers. Then she talked about the wyvern rider she fought. How he came down from the sky to battle her one on one and then stopped when she put her axe down. Even mentioning how she tried to talk to him even if it was futile.

“And then they just left.” Hilda put her teacup down onto the small table sitting in front of them. “We didn’t have to defeat all of them, they just left when some horns called them back. I was standing in the middle of the forest and they all passed by me.”

Claude didn’t say anything. Throughout the whole story he just silently listened while drinking the tea Holst gifted her. It was an expensive tea that only nobles bought and drank but she didn’t care about it. She wanted answers for all the questions stirring in her mind.

“Everyone describes them to fight in these bloody matches. How they terrorize Fodlan with their fangs and claws. But they just left after a few soldiers fell.” Hilda pulled her legs up and hugged them. “If they really were a bunch of brutes they would have attacked me when I was weaponless.” She couldn’t understand why she was fed those extravagant stories. The battle she just had was nothing like them. The Almyran forces weren’t the ones from their stories.

“What would you have asked him?” Claude finally spoke. Hilda turned to see him facing her. His legs crossed on the bed as he rested his chin on his propped arm.

“I don’t even know. I just wanted to try and talk to him.” She studied his face. Looking for any kind of thought he might have. “He looked like he was my age and he was flying on a wyvern battling with them.” Claude’s face remained neutral. She hated it. “Cyril told me a lot about his life in Almyra and how much he had suffered.” She hated how well he kept his emotions together. “When we talked I asked what he thought of the people of Fodlan and he said that everyone in Fodlan is different. At first I thought he just didn’t want to talk about Almyra but then I realized he was right.”

There was still no change in his face. For the first time Hilda wanted to seriously hit Claude for not cracking. He always kept everything wrapped together with a smile or neutrality. He still had so many secrets hiding away in his mind. She was going to make him break that neutral face. Hilda slowly lifted her left hand and reached out for the tiny braid that fell on his face.

* * *

Claude took in a sharp breath as Hilda reached out for his face. His heart always betrayed him which meant he needed to keep his body and face in check. It took every ounce of restraint to keep his outer appearance from faltering. All of it broke when Hilda gently began to play with his braid. He felt himself physically move back as her face moved closer to his.

“Tell me something.” Hilda’s eyes were focused on playing with his braid. “What do you think of Fodlan?”

“There’s a lot I can say about Fodlan.” That answer wasn’t going to cut it for her and he knew that. “I always heard stories about Fodlan growing up. How the people of Fodlan were cowards. But that would mean my mother was also a coward.”

Hilda already knew this story. She had fawned over his mother’s ability to leave behind her life of nobility for love. Her attention was still fixed on his braid. “Do you think we’re cowards?”

Claude let out a quiet chuckle. “I never believed the people of Fodlan to be cowards.” Her eyes finally met his. “But my people and yours have something in common. They both think negatively of outsiders.”

Suddenly, she began to quietly chuckle. “What a sad thing to have in common.” Her hand let go of his braid and fell onto his knee. “I wish I could talk to another Almyran besides Cyril… I guess I just want to know more about the world outside of Fodlan…”

It still wasn’t the right time. There was so much work he needed to do before he could tell her. His dream was still so far away. Instead, he placed his hand over hers and said, “Maybe you will in the future.”

Hilda finally gave him a smile and he returned it. “So tell me what I missed.” She became her bubbly self again. Claude filled her in with everything she had missed from class work to their extra research and down to the whispering gossip he heard.

* * *

Things relatively returned to normal. Hilda caught up with all of the work she missed which meant she could go back to spending her time on other things. When she was gone, Claude had finished another Abyss book and brought out a new one. This one was an in depth explanation on the Heroes Relics. With the information from the last book it was easy to put details together. Claude had asked to inspect Freikugel since she had it in her room but she only let him look at it. For now the axe sat wrapped in linens under her bed. She hated having it but there was nothing she could do about it.

In the library Linhardt was reluctant to talk about Marianne. After some pushing and pulling, Hilda pulled out the best friend card alongside tears. Only then did he finally crack about what he knew. However, he only confirmed their suspicions about her having a Crest and said no more. If he had been to the Shadow Library before then that meant there was a possibility he knew the same things they did about Crests and the Heroes. But there was only so much she could get him to spill before he stopped talking to them.

Back in Claude’s room he wrote down on Marianne’s papers that she had a Crest. There were a few options but they wouldn’t know for sure until they saw it. Hilda hadn’t thought of a time when it had activated. She had seen Lorenz and Lysithea activate theirs on missions but never Marianne’s.

Once they ran out of ideas, they moved on. Hilda finally brought up the thing she wanted to talk about before but forgot to earlier this month. She would have talked about it sooner but was swept away to Fodlan’s Throat. “Do you think Edelgard is working with those people?” It was a bold claim that could only be said in the privacy of his room. “Remember how I talked about Monica sticking around her all the time?”

Claude put away the papers back into his desk. Turning around in his chair to continue talking. “I do recall.”

“Monica was the one who killed Captain Jeralt. She also spent a lot of time with Edelgard.” It was a crazy idea but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. “I know it might be far-fetched but is there a possibility Edelgard planned this?”

Claude chewed on what she said. “That is a possibility. There is also the possibility she was completely clueless. Monica could have spent time with her to gain her trust.”

That was also a very real possibility. Hilda shuddered at them all. “I feel like something big is going to happen soon… Every month has been filled with something surrounding the professor and the Black Eagles.”

“With all the knights out searching for the enemy, something is bound to happen.” The monastery was so empty and quiet with all the knights deployed. But after what happened it was an understandable move.

“Do you think…” It was silly to think like this but she needed to get her thoughts out. “If the professor chose to teach our class we would be the ones getting caught up in all the excitement?”

“I wonder about that as well.” With Claude’s fascination towards the professor, she wasn’t surprised to hear him say that. “I can’t turn back time but I do wish he had chosen our class.”

“Yeah…” Turning back time. If only such a power existed. Perhaps things would have been different but there was nothing she could do.

The two spent the rest of the day reading the latest book from Abyss. There was so much more work that needed to be done.

* * *

The Black Eagles were given permission by Rhea to go fight the enemies. The whole monastery nervously waited for their arrival. Many desperate that they would come back triumphant. Leonie had begged the professor to join so she could exact revenge on the people who killed Jeralt. When the professor declined, she marched over to the training grounds and didn’t leave.

Claude waited with Hilda and Lorenz in the dining room. None of them really ate but talked about what could be happening. Hours passed with the Black Eagles still gone. Eventually Lorenz grabbed a tea set and began to brew tea for them all. It almost seemed like he was doing this out of boredom but the noble Lorenz would never admit to that.

In the late afternoon the Black Eagles returned. Professor Byleth was being carried by Hubert back into the monastery. When news broke of the professor’s changed appearance, Rhea rushed to take the professor away. Everyone swarmed the Black Eagles to ask what happened. Claude wasn’t one to join the frenzy but he needed to know as well.

Their story was shocking. Solon and Kronya, who disguised herself as Monica, were there. They trapped the professor in another realm. Then he broke free from that realm. His appearance changed and the Black Eagles were able to defeat Solon. When the battle was over the professor revealed that the goddess had granted him powers.

Claude didn’t believe a single word of it.


	14. Pegasus Moon 1180

Eavesdropping was dangerous but Claude couldn’t help it. He needed to know what was going to happen next. Once they finished talking, he quietly left to process the information. Rhea was going to take the Black Eagles down to the Holy Tomb for the professor to receive a divine revelation. Just as Saint Seiros had almost a millennia ago.

Claude was stunned. The goddess that Fodlan worshipped was real. She had given powers to the professor. He didn’t want to believe it but after this past year and his change in appearance, Claude found it harder and harder to deny.

Before he could allow himself to dive into more work, he had to make sure he had everything. Claude double checked everything sitting on his desk. In two days it would be the day. He was sure that this would pale in comparison to what she was used to but it was worth a shot.

Afterall, she had thrown him a party.

* * *

The professor had asked her for tea during lunch today. Hilda knew it was going to happen after the past year but it still excited her. Especially because he was now endowed with the Goddess’ blessing. She didn’t expect their tea to be so engaging. Despite looking like he had no interest, the professor asked her about accessories and fashion. There was an attempt to ask questions about him but his answers were short and unhelpful. After their tea, the rest of the day flew by. She wasn’t home for her birthday and the weather was so cold it froze her hair, but it still excited her.

Hilda walked to the dining room with Marianne. To her surprise she had asked Hilda to join her for dinner. It was unexpected to have her initiate but she didn’t mind. All it did was fill her heart. When they stepped into the dining room they saw Claude and Lorenz sitting at a table. There were sets of plates and utensils sitting in front of them as well as a tray of food.

Lorenz caught sight of them and waved. “Hilda! Marianne!” As they got closer, he got out of his chair and bowed. “I’m so glad you accepted our invitation!”

“What?” Perhaps she asked that too quickly but Marianne didn’t say anything about Lorenz and Claude being here.

Claude sighed then stood up. “You make everything way too formal.” Hilda was about to put it together when Claude turned with his arms wide open. “Happy birthday Hilda!”

“When did you-”

“After you left for Fodlan’s Throat I asked Lorenz to help me plan this.” He answered her question before she could ask. The two spent too much time together for him to plan this without her finding out. “I had to endure countless lectures on the culture and traditions of the Alliance that I already knew about,” Claude shot a smug smile in Lorenz’s direction. Lorenz in return scowled at him. “And Marianne braved speaking with me to tell me all of your favorite things.” Hearing that made Marianne lower her head. Hilda could see her blushed face. “And now I can finally let this secret out.”

Lorenz took the top of the tray off to reveal their dinner. Fish saute with cheesy Verona stew accompanied by red turnip plates. Hilda wanted to hug all of them but hugging them here would bring attention. So, she grabbed Marianne’s arm and sat her down at the table. Hilda sat where Claude once sat causing him to sit next to Lorenz.

The four talked over their dinner. They kept their topics light with the prospect of their graduation happening next month. Hilda couldn’t believe it had almost been a year since they came to Garreg Mach. So much had happened and so much had changed. She wouldn’t have imagined Claude and Lorenz sitting together at dinner, let alone hold a conversation. Marianne was even speaking with them after all those months of keeping away from people.

Hilda couldn’t help but wonder how she had changed. She was still getting other people to do her work while she went off to do whatever she wanted. Even after being Claude’s retainer she didn’t want a future where she would have the responsibility of risking her life to keep him safe. Hilda shoved the reality of her lack of change away. It was her birthday and her closest friends had worked so hard for it. She was supposed to enjoy this moment and not worry about other things.

After dinner there was dessert. Peach sorbet was served to them. Claude and Lorenz revealed they had to help with gardening in order to get all the food for today. The image of Lorenz gardening caused Hilda to laugh aloud. She poked fun at him for doing a commoner’s job. To her shock, he accepted the joke instead of trying to fight it. Before he could triumph in this labor, Claude spilled that Leonie had to actually teach him how to garden. The flush of red on his face could have been from embarrassment and anger as he began to try and take a jab at Claude’s inability to measure ingredients and messy cooking.

Then the two praised Marianne for her work. Marianne furiously shook her head as she blushed deep red. Saying she had done very little compared to them. Finally Hilda got her to talk about the chores she had to do. Marianne had to go to town and shop for supplies for the kitchen. When she was cleaning up she accidentally created a mess. Thankfully a few other people had helped her clean up and organize everything. Hilda couldn’t stop beaming at her as people who she had befriended came to her aide.

Again the realization of how little she had changed came back. For Claude’s birthday she pretended to fall ill to avoid repaying the chefs for the meal. Not too long ago she roped in a few boys to pick berries and fruit for Marianne’s birthday dessert. Had she truly made no impact on her own life while at Garreg Mach? Hilda tried to shove it away again but it kept coming back.

* * *

The four parted ways when they reached the dorms. Hilda thanked them for the dinner, truthfully telling them it was one of the best birthdays she’s had. Marianne seemed relieved to hear that while Lorenz began to gloat again. Claude on the other hand didn’t seem to believe her. When Hilda went into her room she spotted a box on her desk. It was a square box with no wrapping. She lifted the lid to see a note on the top.

_ Hey Hilda, I know this isn’t the most extravagant gift to receive. I’m no good at wrapping. But this took a long time to make. Hope you like it. -Claude _

There truly was no wrapping on the inside either as a glass bottle sat in the box with no protection. Hilda picked up the gift in bewilderment. It was clear liquid. The lack of labelling meant it had to be homemade. She had listened to Claude talk about making liquid poisons before. It had come up when they planned for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. There were always bottles shoved away on his desk or dresser.

Hilda carefully opened the bottle and took a whiff. Floral scents poured out from the bottle. When she dabbed a little bit on her arm the aroma spread creating a light, delicate smell. Claude had made a perfume. Not just any perfume. The most beautifully scented perfume she had ever smelled. The books on Fodlan flowers were from months ago. He had those books before she talked about her lost perfume. By then she had gotten a new bottle. She couldn’t begin to imagine when he even had the time for this. She took in another whiff to try and detect what flowers might have been used.

The scent was so light it was impossible to pick out what flowers he could have used. Hilda capped the bottle and placed it back in the box. It was silly to want to keep it in the box but she wanted to make sure it stayed there. She dug around for any old papers and began to rip it and crumple them up. Carefully she stuffed the crumpled paper into the box to make cushioning for the bottle. She didn’t want to risk anything happening to this perfume.

* * *

There was a lack of the future empress and her retainer in the monastery. Claude noticed them coming in and out of Garreg Mach the past week until Hubert stopped coming back all together. He asked Hilda to try and get information out of Ferdinand but even he had no clue what was happening. With lack of new information, Claude made his way to the cathedral to try and find something new. As expected the doors to the Holy Tomb were locked.

When the sun began to set he went back to his room to organize data. After finishing the in-depth book on the Relics they paused reading to put things together. Hilda created a lovely chart of Crests, Heroes, and Relics alongside people who currently held those Crests and Relics. If it weren’t for the books in Abyss, they would not have gained this much information.

Claude paused shuffling through papers when a knock came on his door. “It’s me!” Hilda’s voice sang through the cracks. When he opened the doors he saw her standing with a tray holding a teapot and pastries. “The girls baked today so I brought the extras.”

Ever since the ball Hilda was out spending time with all the girls from the three houses. It was alarming to him that she found time for her friends and came back here at night to read a book. Hilda set the tray down on the small table and dragged it to the middle of the room. “I had no idea Edelgard liked sweets as much as Lysithea. They kept adding sugar to the batches when we weren’t looking. So we had to make more dough to balance everything.”

“I can’t imagine her eating as many sweets as Lysithea.” Claude turned his chair around to face the table. Following routine Hilda plopped onto his bed and brought the table a little closer to her. “I’ve seen her eat an entire chocolate cake one time.”

Hilda’s mouth dropped open. “She ate an entire chocolate cake?!”

Claude nodded. “I later saw Felix carrying a slice of it. He told me Lysithea insisted he eat the cake.”

The image of Felix being bothered by Lysithea gave Hilda a laugh. “Maybe for her birthday we can all make her the sweetest cake.” The smile on her face suddenly vanished. “I noticed this for a while but Edelgard and Lysithea both have white hair. I didn’t pay mind to it before but during Ethereal Moon it started to bother me.” Hilda looked down at the pastries. “They’re the only ones who have white hair. And it’s not white like how professor Hanneman’s hair is turning white from age. They have pure white hair.”

“That is true.” Claude took a pastry and ripped it in half. “I didn’t really pay attention to it either. After all,” He pointed to her hair. “No one from my homeland has pink hair.”

Hilda pulled a few strands of hair to inspect it. “Really?”

“Yeah. We all have black or brown hair. White hair if you’re old.” Claude took a bite of the pastry and immediately regretted it. Hilda laughed at the face he made. After drinking some tea to wash away the sugar, he continued. “I was shocked to see people with various hair colors. So I thought Edelgard and Lysithea having white hair was normal. But if you think it’s strange I’ll believe you.” Suddenly he remembered what Linhardt said to him. Hilda’s brows furrowed together as he put things together. “Linhardt had asked me to tell Marianne and Lysithea to talk to him.”

Hilda straightened her back and leaned in. “That usually means he knows something related to Crests.” She began to put more pieces of the puzzle together. “And if Edelgard and Lysithea both have white hair they must have something in common with their Crests.”

Claude reached behind him to grab the papers on his desk. Lysithea had the Minor Crest of Charon listed. “She has the same Crest as Catherine, Charon. But Edelgard has the Crest of Seiros the same as Rhea.” He put the papers back on his desk and shook his head. “The Hresvelg line was apparently blessed by Seiros herself. But that doesn’t connect them and their white hair.”

“We barely got Linhardt to tell us Marianne has a Crest. I doubt we can get him to tell us about Lysithea.” Hilda picked up the pastry half he had ripped and bit into it. She also made a face at the amount of sugar in that bite. Following his example, she quickly drank a cup of tea to drown out the taste. “We won’t get any farther with Edelgard and Lysithea. What book did you get this time?”

From under his desk, Claude pulled out a bag to take out the latest book. It was just as thick as the other books. “The Four Saints of Fodlan. According to books in Garreg Mach’s library, they fought alongside the Ten Elites to defeat Nemesis. But we learned that the Eleven Elites were corrupted by the Relics.” He cracked the old book open to the table of contents. “Let’s find out what really happened.”

Hilda shifted over on the bed to make room for him. Together they read until they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

* * *

Hilda found herself looking at the statues of the Four Saints. She still couldn’t believe that the professor was granted with power from the Goddess. While reading the book on the Saints more details about Fodlan’s past was revealed. Things she had never heard about were uncovered. People called the Nabateans once roamed the land alongside people called the Agarthans. The book was old with missing words and pages but they figured the Saints and Seiros were Nabateans themselves. Hilda had never considered herself to be a devotee to the church, in fact, she wouldn’t consider herself devoted to anyone. But the more she read the more she found herself questioning everything.

Why would the church want to hide so much history? What was the true purpose behind Crests? What were the Relics? These questions spawned several more. She found her headaches becoming more frequent the more the thought about it. Her whole life was built on being a Goneril but what did that really mean? When the questions became too much to bear, Hilda left the cathedral to go to her lunch meeting.

As she walked into the reception hall she caught Edelgard and professor Byleth speaking to each other. Hilda watched for a second then continued to the dining hall. It wasn’t her business that she was leaving the monastery so often even if it drove her curiosity over the edge.

So instead she spent the rest of her free day worrying about nothing but herself and friends. If something were to happen she would hear about it soon.

* * *

The Black Eagles went down into the Holy Tomb with Rhea in the morning. The whole monastery seemed to hold their breath as they waited for them to emerge from the tomb. Claude planted himself outside of the cathedral. He wanted to be the first to know of what transpired down there.

After several hours Edelgard, Hubert, and professor Byleth suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cathedral as if they teleported. Claude didn’t have a chance to ask what was happening as the three began running away. After a heartbeat the rest of the Black Eagles burst through the cathedral doors. Claude ran after them, asking them what happened. When they finished explaining he stopped running as they continued out the entrance of the monastery.

Edelgard was the Flame Emperor.

Claude could feel his head spinning. There was so much to unpack. He began running around the monastery trying to find Hilda. When he finally found her, he was so winded he couldn’t speak. Before he had a chance to catch his breath, news travelled throughout the monastery.

The Adrestian Empire declared war against the Church of Seiros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I mean we all know where this is going right?" tag is relevant


	15. Lone Moon 1180

The monastery was running for the past week. Students were scrambling to figure out what was going to happen and what they needed to do. Hilda kept replaying what happened after the ceremony in her mind. Claude ran around the monastery to find her and when he did he couldn’t even speak. Then the news of war being declared against the church rippled throughout the monastery. When he finally recovered he told her what happened to the Black Eagles. That Edelgard was the Flame Emperor and Rhea tried to kill the professor. Suddenly a white dragon appeared causing the Black Eagles to all run away in fear.

Emotions were still high but the two figured Edelgard had planned this from the start. Stitching together the stories from the Black Eagles and their suspicions led them to that conclusion. All the terrible things that happened were because of her. Hilda grew sick at the revelation. Even from their outing at the beginning of the year was set up by Edelgard. It seemed ludacris that she had tried to get Dimitri and Claude killed by bandits before the academy year even began.

Dimitri had become a completely different person once the news broke. His princely appearance and behavior vanished. Declaring he would find Edelgard and cut her head off. Then hang her head over the gates of Enbarr. All the Blue Lions seemed to be stuck in shock while Felix only said he knew this would happen.

The Golden Deer were equally stunned over the news. Claude had everyone gathered and told them to all leave the monastery. His words repeated over and over in her mind.  _ “There’s no reason to stay here and risk our lives. We need to leave.” _

That’s why Hilda was in her room packing up all of her belongings. Express messengers were sent out throughout the Alliance to inform houses that they were returning home. Lorenz in particular had asked for his house to send a larger caravan over to help Leonie, Raphael, and Ignatz return home. Saying something about how they lived within Gloucester territory meaning he would take care of them. Hilda didn’t realize how much stuff she had to pack. It was all a nightmare. It would take a few days for House Goneril to organize the wagons and horses and then a day trip if they rushed to reach the monastery.

As a break she peeked outside of her door to see what everyone else was doing. The sounds of people moving furniture and boxes echoed in the hallway. Hilda ducked back into her room sighing at the weight on her shoulders. There was no time to slack off. She needed everything packed away to return home.

* * *

Wagons came in and out the past two weeks. All of the Golden Deer had decided to leave. The only one from the Blue Lions house who decided to stay was Dimitri. Claude attempted to speak to him but quickly learned that was a mistake.

Lorenz was the first to leave taking Leonie, Raphael, and Ignatz with. Claude saw the four off that day. Seeing Lorenz help them was the last thing he would expect to see yet he was subverting his expectations. Before he left, Lorenz reached his hand out to Claude. As he reached to shake his hand, Lorenz took hold of his forearm instead. It was a shocking action but Claude returned the forearm handshake. For another shock, Lorenz made a promise to meet again. Claude returned the promise.

Then House Edmund arrived to pick up Marianne. Hilda helped her pack up the last of her belongings. The last thing to be taken with the wagons was Dorte. Marriance led the horse out from the stables out to the entrance. Hilda hugged her for minutes before letting her go. She promised Marianne that she would write to her. Marianne returned the promise saying she would do her best to write.

Right before the month ended, House Ordelia and House Goneril arrived together to pick up Lysithea and Hilda. Claude helped the two bring their belongings out onto the wagons. Lysithea had significantly less stuff and left first. Hilda still had to move several more trunks and boxes.

Once everything was packed up the last thing she brought out from her room was Freikugel. It was still wrapped up and untouched. Hilda placed it in the wagon and covered it with another blanket.

“Well Miss Goneril that’s the last of your stuff.” Claude needed to give one last overly formal exchange before she left. “Is there anything else I can assist you with?” Sealing it with a bow.

Hilda didn’t smile. Her brows were furrowed together since the morning. “What about you Claude? I thought you were also leaving. Didn’t you pack your stuff?”

Nothing got past her. “Actually, I’m staying.”

“What?” Her eyes slowly widened at the news. “But you said-”

“I know but I still have a book to return.” He gave a little wink to assure her it was alright.

That caused her to gently push him. “Claude be serious. What are you doing?”

“House Riegan actually came before House Edmund. I already sent all my stuff back and told them that I would be staying behind.” The shock rippled across her face. “I’m going to try and fight. If it gets too dangerous I’ll leave.”

“You better. You’re the future leader of the Alliance. We need you.” He had never heard her use that tone before. It was at least a few notes lower than her usual performance.

Claude gave a single nod then turned his head out to the field in front of the monastery. “The winds of war are already here. The Empire will be here soon.”

“Miss Goneril we need to leave now! Nightfall will be here soon!”

Hilda called out that she was coming. She looked up at Claude one last time. “Bye Claude. Stay safe.”

“Bye Hilda.” He waved to her as she walked over to her horse.

Then they were off. Hilda didn’t turn around to look behind her. Once the wagon was out of sight Claude headed back into the monastery. The fight would be coming soon.

* * *

Hilda got back on her horse once the morning sun rose. Holst had sent soldiers to come pick her up instead of servants. All it did was show her how worried he was. When everyone was ready to go, they left the inn they had stopped at. It was unavoidable to make a stop once it became night. They weren’t able to move quickly because of the wagons. Hilda felt terrible for slowing down their journey but it couldn’t be helped.

After a few hours they had reached the Great Bridge of Myrddin. There they rested to eat lunch before continuing on the journey. Hilda looked out into Empire territory from the bridge. She wasn’t particularly hungry. From the bridge she could see Gronder Field. It was surreal that just a few months ago they were all there fighting in a mock battle. Now it was a real battle.

Through her hazy thoughts specks of red began to pop up on the field. Hilda perked up from slouching. She watched as the specks of red grew in size. Soon the Adrestian flag could be seen from the bridge. This was a war but there were far more soldiers than expected. “No…” There were too many soldiers.

The soldiers must have heard her say that. One came over and looked out into the field. “It’s a good thing we left when we did Miss Goneril. We’ll be safe here. We are almost finished for lunch then-”

Hilda didn’t know what she was doing but her legs were moving. She ran to the wagon and pulled out her back holster.

“Miss Goneril what are you-”

“I need to go back to Garreg Mach!” There were no weapons for her. Hilda threw the blanket over to the side and grabbed Freikugel. She began to unwrap it as quickly as possible.

“Miss Goneril we need to get you back to Lord Holst or else-”

Hilda didn’t listen to them. She placed Freikugel into the back holster and ran to her horse. “Go ahead and tell Holst to meet me at Derdriu!”

“Miss Goneril, wait!”

Hilda mounted her horse and took off. She could still hear the soldiers shouting behind her. They wouldn’t be able to follow her with all that stuff. “Come on faster!” She kicked the horse hoping it would run faster. Nothing else mattered. She needed to get back to Garreg Mach before the Empire reserves did.

* * *

The Empire reached the entrance of Garreg Mach. Seteth, Flayn, and Gilbert were already stationed and fighting. Catherine and Cyril were helping Rhea prepare and evacuate anyone else who needed to leave. Claude gripped the bow in his hand. This was a crazy idea. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to stay but he did. He stayed as far away as possible taking a few shots at any Imperial soldiers who got too close.

From where he stationed himself he could see Edelgard, Hubert, and the professor marching towards Seteth. The Black Eagles separated to fight the flanks. It didn’t take long for Seteth, Flayn, and Gilbert to retreat. Once they did, Rhea came out with Catherine and Cyril. The professor continued up towards Rhea leaving behind a trail of blood. Dimitri was nowhere to be seen.

“Claude!”

Claude swore he heard someone call for him. Looking around he could see no one.

“Claude!”

The voice was louder and closer now. Claude turned around to the sound of a horse racing towards him. Then he saw Hilda was the one riding towards him with Freikugel strapped to her back. “Hilda?” Why was she here? Hilda got off her horse and sprinted over to him. He began to jog towards her. When he finally got close enough he asked her the question. “What are you doing here?”

Hilda’s eyes were wide with panic. “Claude we need to leave now!”

“What?”

“I saw the Imperial reserves from the Bridge of Myrddin! They’re going to be here any minute now!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her. “They’re going to win so we need to leave!”

Claude soaked in what she said as quickly as possible. He gave a single nod as he made his mind. “Right. Let’s go.”

Just as they went to mount her horse, a deafening roar filled the air. Hilda’s horse ran off in fear. The two looked back to the entrance of Garreg Mach to see a white dragon now flying in the sky. Its wings spread wide enough to cover the clouds. “No way…”

Before he could say it, Hilda whispered, “The Immaculate One…” Their shock could only last a second as explosions shook the ground causing the two to fall. As the ground shook it began to break underneath them. Claude scrambled up still holding Hilda’s hand.

The two ran towards the east gate hoping to reach the road out. Doing their best to keep their footing as the ground continued to shake with each explosion. Claude turned back to see the Immaculate One shooting a beam of light from its mouth. They wouldn’t get far on foot.

“Halt!” The Imperial army flanked them from the eastern gate. Claude and Hilda skidded to a halt before they got too close to the blockade. They changed direction and began to run north. A general barked at the soldiers to chase after them.

The further away they ran the less the ground shook. Not only was this to their advantage but to the Imperial soldiers as well. The soldiers were getting closer each step they took. They would be caught in no time.

Then Hilda pushed Claude forward causing him to tumble. When Claude turned around he watched her unlatch Freikugel and turned around to face the soldiers. The Crest of Goneril flashed above her head as she took the glowing Relic and smashed it into the ground.

* * *

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Every inch of her body ached as her blood began to boil from gripping the Relic.

Holst didn’t teach her how to use Freikugel. All he did was throw this responsibility onto her like he did a year ago.

Hilda could feel power surging through her body as her Crest activated.

With two hands she threw the axe over her head and smashed it into the ground.

Freikugel was glowing as bright as flames, cracking the ground beneath the Imperial soldiers.

Then she took the axe and began swinging it in front of her, killing any soldier who was one step too close. Their screams filled her ears. They were going to kill them if she didn’t do it first. Seeing their allies fly back in pieces caused most of them to run off while others stood stunned. “Stay back!” With one last swing she finished off any Imperial soldier who still came for them.

Hilda turned back to Claude and helped him up. “Come on!” Once he was up on his feet they started running again. They were almost out of Garreg Mach. The northern gates were so close. It was all she could focus on. Getting them out of here alive. Just a few more steps before they-

Claude swiftly grabbed his bow and knocked an arrow. Then he turned around and lifted it up to her. “Don’t move.” Hilda held her breath as he let go of the arrow, flying right past her face. She couldn’t see who was behind her but the sound of a soldier’s screams answered it. He sheathed his bow and ran past her to whoever he shot. Hilda turned to see that he had shot a cavalier unit. She was so focused on one thing she didn’t even hear the horse coming towards them. In that moment she realized how she could have failed to bring them to safety.

Claude mounted the horse and called for her. Hilda ran over to him and hopped on. The horse took off to the north east gate, finally breaking them out of Garreg Mach. Even when they had exited the monastery grounds, they didn’t slow down. Claude made sure the horse kept running up north until they could no longer see the monastery. Only then did he slow the horse down to allow it to rest.

They had made it out.

* * *

Claude knew he couldn’t have them continue at this leisure pace. When he figured the horse had rested enough, he gently coaxed it to begin running again. There was no telling how far Imperial soldiers were spread. To relax would be a mistake. A mistake he knew not to make.

Hilda had her arms wrapped around his waist. Her whole body was leaning against his back. They hadn’t said a word since they escaped. After a few more minutes of silence she began to stir. Claude could feel her straighten her back. The warmth he felt vanished as she did. “Where are we going?” There was no energy in her voice. It was empty of any emotion.

“The Alliance is always fighting. When Edelgard declared war several nobles in the Alliance pledged their support for the Empire.” He had received this information when House Riegan’s caravan came to pick him up. “We need to get into territory that hasn’t pledged support to the Empire.”

“I thought we were just going to Derdriu…”

“We won’t make it before night.”

“So where are we going?” He couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or angry.

“We’re going to Daphnel territory.”

“We’re going to Lady Judith’s house?”

“We can trust her.” Was all he said.

They were silent for the rest of the trip.

* * *

When they arrived at Lady Judith’s doorsteps she rushed them in. Hilda could barely hear her say that dinner would be served and she would provide a place to sleep tonight. Servants showed them to their rooms and then showed the baths. Hilda slowly shuffled to the baths. Spending at least an hour soaking in hot water.

At dinner Judith asked what happened. Claude explained the event they just experienced while she slowly ate her food. For some reason she couldn’t muster the energy to speak.

Judith informed that she would escort the two to Derdriu the next morning. There was a Roundtable meeting this week which meant Holst would be there. Even that news didn’t soothe her.

Hilda laid in the bed wide awake. There were too many thoughts and not a single thought all at the same time. A knock on the door cut the noise in her mind. With what she could muster she asked, “Who is it?” The door opened revealing it was Claude. Hilda sluggishly got up from laying down to sitting. He didn’t say a word as he made his way over to the bed and sat down next to her.

Usually she hated silence when another person was with her. But this time it was comforting to have Claude here. Time passed without any of them saying a word. She preferred it this way. She couldn’t think of anything to say.

* * *

Claude watched Hilda silently sit in the dark. He had never seen her stay quiet for this long. Her eyes were fixed on the floor. There was no stir of movement in her face. It sat completely blank. He knew this feeling or lack of feeling all too well. Hilda had told him how she had lived a lavish life as a Goneril. How she had a family who loved and doted on her. An older brother who pulled the weight in the house. Their missions were never too serious. If anything went awry, professor Manuela and the class would come together to help. Even at Fodlan’s Throat she had the Goneril soldiers. She had never had to fight for her life before. He was used to this but she wasn’t.

There wasn’t anything he could offer her now except to sit next to her. Slowly he inched his hand closer to hers until they were laying on top of hers. Hilda blinked at the touch. Her head slowly lifted and her eyes met his. Claude waited a minute before reaching an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. Eventually, she returned the hug.

The two held each other for who knows how long. When exhaustion began to take over his body he knew it was past their time to sleep. Still embracing Hilda, he gently and slowly pulled her into the bed. They slept in each other’s embrace until the sun rose.

It was a new dawn to a new year.


	16. Great Tree Moon 1181

Hilda didn’t know when she fell asleep but when she woke up she was still holding onto Claude. She closed her eyes again wanting to steal just a few more minutes like this. When servants entered the room with breakfast, they gasped in shock to see the two together. That’s when they finally got up from the bed, letting each other go.

Judith wished they could spend the morning getting ready but that wasn’t possible. She informed them that a messenger had left before the sun rose to Derdriu to alert House Riegan that they were arriving. When breakfast was finished, they left the estate to the capital. With each on their own horse and no wagons to pull, the trip could be made with no time to lose.

The afternoon sun peeked in the sky along with the towering buildings of Derdriu. They had made it to the aquatic capital. Judith kept ahead to lead them through the streets to the capital’s governmental square. Hilda looked around the city with news eyes. She had always come here to celebrate. Arriving today felt so bitter.

“Here we are.” Judith’s voice snapped her attention back forward. The parliament hall of the Alliance stood before them. Employees of the hall took their horses to the stable and invited them in.

Hilda had never been inside this building. The halls were large with a towering ceiling. Art of all kinds was put on display on the walls. She wondered if she would ever see Ignatz’s work again. Claude looked used to walking in these halls. He seemed to stand a little taller as he followed Judith.

Finally they reached the assembly hall. Judith pushed the doors open for their grand entrance. “I come with Claude von Riegan and Hilda Valentine Goneril.”

Before Hilda could even see Holst she could hear him. “Hilda!” In a blur he ran over and hugged her. “When the soldiers came back telling me you left I-”

“I’m ok.” Hilda wheezed as he squeezed her. Holst let go allowing her to see the other three nobles standing by the roundtable.

Holst bowed to Judith. “Thank you Lady Judith.” Usually Hilda would roll her eyes but not this time.

“Finally you are here.” Count Gloucester approached them. “I assume you didn’t receive the news because you were too busy defending a lost cause.” Hearing him speak confirmed that Lorenz was indeed his son.

“What news?” Judith crossed her arms, challenging the Count. “Last I checked these two kids braved themselves to fight and escape the clutches of death.”

“They may have escaped death but Duke Riegan was unable to.”

“What?” Claude and Hilda asked the question at the same time.

“I beg your pardon?” Judith still kept her cool under the harsh lashing of the Count.

“It is true.” Margrave Edmund spoke next. “Duke Riegan has passed.”

Hilda looked at Holst to see if he would say something. Her brother only dropped his head. Her head hurt. So much had happened the past day and now… Hilda turned to look at Claude. There was nothing on his face. Nothing to indicate what he was thinking of.

“Claude von Riegan you are now the Duke of House Riegan and the Leader of the Leicester Alliance.”

As she studied Claude she realized for the first time just how young they were. Now he had to lead the Alliance in war.

* * *

The four nobles agreed to postpone the Roundtable meeting until the end of the week. Claude made his way to his grandfather’s office. It was still as messy as it was a year ago. He wasn’t sure what or how to feel right now. It’s not like he was close to his grandfather but his death was an untimely one. He needed to spend the rest of the week reviewing and organizing the papers that were left behind.

The Alliance was always fighting. Claude knew that since the start but with war the cracks grew. Count Gloucester and Count Ordelia supported the Empire. Duke Goneril and his grandfather had declared support to the church. Margrave Edmund for once did not say a word.

Before the meeting began an express messenger from the Kingdom came to deliver a message. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was crowned king of Faerghus. Swearing fealty to the Church of Seiros and declaring war against the Empire.

Claude rubbed his temple as he sat at his new desk. Just a few weeks ago the three lords talked about graduating and now all three were leaders of their nations. They were all just barely adults.

So he prepared his speech about the Alliance’s stance. He couldn’t risk the Alliance getting involved when things were so turbulent. It would take every trick up his sleeve to keep them neutral.

As he wrote, he found himself looking up to find no one by his side. It had only been a few days and he was still expecting Hilda to be next to him. It would be a fool’s job to ask her to stay after she had expressed her dislike for this kind of work. But he couldn’t help but stop his work to look at the phantom Hilda sitting right next to him.

* * *

Hilda waited for the Roundtable meeting to end. The past week she spent with Holst showering her in love and protection. Turns out he had rushed straight to Derdriu after the soldiers returned back home. Not stopping to take a break or sleep. He refused to leave her side and asked House Riegan’s servants to only provide the best for her. So that was why she waited with eyes on her in the foyer of the parliament building. Waiting for Holst to take them back home.

Every once in a while she would look over to her sides to see them empty. Once Claude was declared as the new Duke, he had locked himself away. No doubt preparing the Alliance for something. Hilda had never cared about the politics of the Alliance but now she couldn’t stop worrying about what would happen.

The voices of three older men began to echo into the foyer. Hilda turned around to see Holst leaving the other three lords behind to meet with her. “Are you ready?” Hilda could only nod as an answer. Holst turned around and said his goodbyes to the lords.

At the very end of the hallway, Hilda saw Claude emerge from the hall. His face sitting as neutral as ever. The two locked their gazes from the opposite ends of the building. Hilda couldn’t move towards him. Her feet were stuck in that spot. Even if she did go over she could do nothing. This wasn’t like Garreg Mach where she could pick up a book to help him. No, she would need years of learning to be of any use. Holst didn’t rise as the Duke of House Goneril by doing minimal work and pawning it off on others.

So she stood there. A helpless, useless, spoiled brat looking to the leader of the Alliance. She opened her mouth but Holst interrupted whatever was going to come out. Without a goodbye, Hilda turned around and left the capital with Holst.

The trip was two days long. Once Hilda arrived home she took a bath and locked the door to her room. The servants had brought all of her luggage in after she had left. One by one she began to open the trunks and boxes. As she opened one of the trunks, the box containing Claude’s handmade perfume sat on top of her clothes. Hilda picked up the box and opened it. Gently lifting the glass bottle to inspect it of any damage. After she determined it was still in one piece, she opened it up to smell the aroma.

Then she fell to the ground and began to weep.

* * *

The Alliance would stay neutral. Messengers from the Empire and Kingdom had come to ask for the Alliance’s stance on the war. Claude handed the letters he wrote with a smile. In the letter he explained that the Five Lords were unable to come to a conclusion on the war. With a bit of embellishment, it sounded like they were uninterested.

Of course the inner turmoil of the Alliance was anything but that. It would be a balancing act to stay out of war. If the scales ever tipped too far to one side it would jeopardize them all.

The words he heard from Leonie echoed in his mind.  _ “You fancy nobles always fight and it causes us commoners to suffer. Don’t you have better things to do?” _

For the sake of the friends he made, he needed the Alliance to fight amongst themselves. Not in the war.

* * *

The past few weeks felt like an eternity. Hilda found herself floating around the Goneril estate like a ghost in Mercede’s stories. Her appetite didn’t exist and neither did her will. There were still unfinished jewelry pieces she wanted to get done but couldn’t find it in her to pick up the tools. Holst didn’t push her to do anything either. Her whole family just kept praising her for keeping Claude safe. They praised her for going back to Garreg Mach to fight off the Empire.

None of the praise was earned. She hated hearing them praise her. Eventually she began eating meals in her room to avoid them. Then she found herself only leaving her room when she needed to bathe or relieve herself.

Today the sun shined through her window. She found herself sitting in the garden surrounded by trees. Hilda wasn’t sure when she last went outside. A gentle breeze would occasionally embrace her and leave. A small bird chirped at her. All it did was remind her of Marianne.

Marianne… Hilda promised to write to her yet… She was failing on her promise.

Before she knew it, she was crying again.

There was a war and she was just wasting away in her own house. She could offer nothing to help.

When the beautiful garden became too much to bear, she went back to her room. There was still so much more to unpack. She had grown used to moving around the trunks and boxes. Hilda knelt down to open a box and see its contents. It was mostly whatever she had stashed away in her desk at Garreg Mach. At the bottom of the box was the journal she used when helping Claude. Opening up to the first page she read the words she had inked all those months ago.

_ Claude von Riegan’s extra credit _

Hilda carefully flipped through the pages of the journal. The early pages were messy with little organization. As they did more work together, Hilda figured out how to write down notes in a more efficient manner. There were still a handful of blank pages at the end of the journal. They weren’t able to finish their research and they still had questions that needed to be answered.

They would probably never find all the answers.

At the end of the day, Hilda found herself alone in her room again. Not doing much of anything… Again.

* * *

The past few weeks felt like an eternity. Claude found himself spending hours and hours shuffling around the Riegan estate. Being the Duke meant he had far more work to do than he initially thought. He found it impossible to sit and eat a proper meal with servants constantly bombarding him with problems or information. There was always something to review. Something to look over. Something to approve. It didn’t help that many of them were still quite harsh towards him. Only the head of servants would look him in the eye.

When it became too much to bear, he locked the doors to his room and fell on the floor. There wasn’t any room with the boxes and trunks still sitting shut closed. He didn’t even have time to unpack his luggage and became used to moving around the boxes. The bed was currently occupied with books just like it was at Garreg Mach. The difference being these books weren’t filled with stories and history but rather the pages were filled with records. Records he had to read and memorize in order to efficiently keep House Riegan together. The paperwork was endless and his bed only held a fraction of it.

The worst part was he had no one to talk to. Garreg Mach was filled with peers who he could turn to and speak with. Peers who would look at him and give him the time of day. House Riegan was void of anyone around his age who would give him more than a few words. If he left his room it meant he had to be prepared for someone interrupting him. He couldn’t leisurely walk around the estate without someone bothering him. It was going to drive him mad.

So he laid on the ground of his room trying to catch just a moment of peace. He had planned on becoming a leader but not like this. The future was looking grim and his dream was fading. So many more steps were added into the equation making the journey a long winding road.

For a moment he thought of the deserts and scarce patches of lush green of home. The garden his mother took care of with the clear pond he once splashed in soothed him. Even the laughter that would fill those halls began to echo in his mind. It was foolish to think of home when he wasn’t wanted there. Here or there becoming the leader was no easy task. Claude took in a deep breath and held it. There was no use in thinking about what would happen back at home. He needed to focus on this home.

So he spent a few minutes collecting himself as he lay on the ground. When he was ready, he got up and left his room. Ready to fill the day with the duties of being the Duke… Again.

* * *

Despite everything, Hilda was outside again. The servants had begged her to leave her room and because they wouldn’t stop bothering her, she succumbed to their wishes. Spring’s gentle winds whistled in her ears. The month was almost over and she had spent most of it in her room. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad to leave her room.

A thunderous flap of wings echoed from the sky. Hilda looked up to see a flight of wyverns migrating back to the north. From where she stood they were flying low enough to see most of their features. Amongst the flight were two smaller wyverns. Some of the older wyverns were flying behind them as if to encourage them.

Wyverns…

Claude…

He was never able to pass the wyvern rider exam. All those months of work he put forward vanished when Edelgard declared war.

Something suddenly sparked in her mind. Hilda ran back into the house up to Holst’s office. Without a knock she barged in on her brother sitting at his desk.

Holst jumped as the door slammed open. “Hilda what-”

“Teach me about the Alliance.”

“What?”

Hilda caught her breath and fixed her dress. “Holst, teach me about the Alliance.”

Holst looked at her with understandable confusion. “I thought you had no interest.”

“Please.” Hilda clasped her hands together. “Please let me follow you around so I can learn about the Alliance. So I can learn about Fodlan’s Locket and the politics and-”

“Hilda slow down! What’s going on?” Holst stood from his seat and walked over to her. He placed the back of his hand onto her forehead. “Are you ill?”

Hilda moved his hand away. Puffing up her chest to try and tower over him. “I want to learn about everything you do as Duke of House Goneril. Please I-” Hilda blinked back her tears. “I need to help my friends.”


	17. Horsebow Moon 1181

The past four months were grueling. Everyday Hilda woke up before the sun rose to join Holst in his morning warm ups. It usually consisted of running up and down the mountains of Fodlan’s Locket. The first few weeks Hilda ran up and down the mountains, she hurled up her insides and would pass out from exhaustion. Now she was able to keep pace with Holst, trailing right behind him.

When the sun finally touched the sky, they would go to the training grounds for practice. At first Holst wouldn’t fight against her. When Hilda finally got him to spar her, she learned her first mistake.

She was not as strong as she believed to be.

At Garreg Mach very few girls wielded axes so in comparison she was incredibly strong. But up against the Alliance’s Greatest General proved her wrong. Despite knowing why she was not as strong as she thought, it still literally knocked the wind out of her when Holst threw her to the ground in a single swing. It would still be a while before she could hold a candle to Holst’s strength but at least she was now able to hold her ground against him.

Over time she learned how to use a lance and sword. Holst’s words being that every great general and lord must be able to wield more than one weapon. Once she was able to efficiently use three weapons, Holst made her wear parts of heavy armor during training. Some days it was only the boots or bracers while other days were chest plates and shields.

Training ended when the servants came to announce it was time for lunch. With all the training, Hilda found her appetite had returned and larger than ever. She never wanted to eat a lot to keep her petite figure but after passing out more than once, she realized she needed the sustenance. Besides, her petite figure no longer existed with all the muscle she had built.

After lunch they would spend the rest of the day looking over a never ending pile of paperwork and documents. They started small with managing House Goneril. Hilda soon had to keep track of all the records in House Goneril. This meant knowing: the number of people employed under the house from soldiers to servants, keeping track of payments, inventory of food to weapons, the animals in their stables and aviary, and land.

Holst would randomly quiz her throughout the day to keep her memory sharp. At first she would get the answers wrong or take too long to say anything. Over the months she was able to answer all questions about the house with ease. When she successfully proved she could manage the house, Holst began teaching her about their territory. It was like a larger house but now she had to learn and memorize the landscape and towns scattered throughout the mountains and forests.

When the sun set they would run up and down the mountains one last time before eating dinner. Dinner was never larger than lunch. With a stomach half full she would bathe and immediately fall asleep in her bed. Sleeping to gain the energy to repeat the routine the next day.

Roundtable meetings were more frequent due to the war. When Holst left, Hilda would continue to keep up with her training. Waiting that week for his return to hear about the inner workings of the Alliance. The only thing she didn’t dare ask was about Claude. She couldn’t allow herself to go back to the wallowing she did five months ago. When the time came she would be ready but not now.

This morning was no different than the rest. When it became time for lunch, Holst revealed they would be leaving for Derdriu on the third day of the Horsebow Moon. Hilda looked at him, puzzled by the decision. “It’s only a two day trip. The Founding Day ball is on the eighth day.”

Holst nodded while taking a bite. After he finished chewing he continued. “Yes but there have been reports of monsters between Goneril and Gloucester territory. We need to deal with it on our way to Derdriu.”

“Perfect!” This wasn’t her first time fighting against monsters but it took the whole Golden Deer class to take down one. Things were different now. She knew Holst could handle this on his own but she could tell this was going to be a real test. Hilda happily ate the rest of her lunch. There was still more to do today.

* * *

The third day of the Horsebow Moon came unceremoniously. Hilda packed the saddle bags with supplies while Holst prepared the wagon. They usually would have just taken their own horses but seeing how the trip was going to be extended, they needed the wagon. When the sun peeked over the horizon they left their estate off towards Gloucester.

In the afternoon they reached a village who had been partially destroyed by the monsters. They stopped by to help in any capacity. The villagers thanked them with a meal and information on where the monsters had headed off. Following the directions of the villagers led them to another village who had been ravished. There they rested for the night to continue in the morning.

After two days they finally caught up with the monsters. There were two giant wolves resting by a river. They quickly devised a plan to put into action. First they moved their horses and wagons farther away. Holst would draw their attention while Hilda flanked them from the sides.

Hilda broke away from her brother to make her way through the forest. Careful to keep her steps quiet so the wolves wouldn’t be alerted. Once in place, Hilda unlatched her tomahawk from her side holster and waited. When Holst finally came running out towards the wolves to draw their attention, she made her move.

Holst’s battle cry always amused her. In part it’s why she found Caspar so amusing back at the monastery. Hilda shook her head to stop thinking about last year putting all her focus on the wolves. Holst was already making quick work on the first wolf. When she was close enough she threw the tomahawk into the hind leg of the second wolf.

The wolf let out a deafening howl. With the first wolf already being beaten by Holst it had no back up. Hilda took the brave axe off her back and swung for its other leg. It made a clean deep cut into its muscles, blood spraying everywhere. The wolf cried out again and fell to the ground. With a few swings at its body the wolf fell to the injuries. Hilda waited to see if it would move but it laid still.

“I did it!” Hilda jumped up in the air with glee. It didn’t matter that she was covered in blood because she had slain the wolf. A year ago this would have taken half of the Golden Deers to make one simply fall to its stomach.

Holst came running over and hugged her. They were both bathed in blood and celebrating. “That was amazing Hilda!” The praise he gave was finally earned.

As they both gathered up weapons the sound of horses running towards them grew. Instinctively the two grabbed their throwing axes to identify if this was a friend or foe.

“Halt! Who are you two?”

Hilda looked over to see a familiar purple haired noble riding on his horse with a battalion behind him. “Lorenz?” His haircut was still atrocious but she noticed he was growing it out.

Lorenz squinted at her then smiled. “Hilda! And,” He looked next to her. “L-Lord Holst?!” Lorenz scrambled off his horse and bowed. “It is an honor to meet the Great General of the Alliance.”

Holst raised an eyebrow. “Is this the boy you wrote about in your letters?” Hilda nodded to confirm. With the confirmation, Holst stepped towards Lorenz and bowed. “The honor is mine. I get to finally meet the boy who helped my sister so much at Garreg Mach.” Hilda wanted to kick him but Lorenz was delighted to hear this. “But why are you here?”

“I came here when my father told me there were monsters running amok.” Lorenz surveyed the two slain wolves and then the blood soaked Goneril’s. “But it seems you two handled it.”

Hilda was sure if Count Gloucester himself were here this exchange would not have been as peaceful. Holst told her all about how the Count fought for the Alliance to join the Empire. But she didn’t know where Lorenz himself stood with all of this.

“I would invite you two to our estate to clean up however,” The look on his face told Hilda everything. He also knew of the Alliance’s inner turmoil and who sided with who.

Holst nodded to him. “I understand. It is not an issue. We have other duties to attend to.”

Lorenz gave a single nod then turned to her. “I assume I will see you at Derdriu in a few days.”

“That’s correct!” Hilda smiled back at him. “Um actually have you heard from Leonie, Ignatz, and Raphael?” A few weeks ago she had sent out letters to them asking if they wanted to attend. None of them responded.

The smile from his face faded. “I’m afraid I haven’t.”

Of course. It would be too good to be true for them to reunite at the Founding Day ball. Hilda sighed at the reality of the situation. “It was good to see you again Lorenz.”

“The same to you.” Lorenz bowed before mounting his horse. As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared with his battalion behind him.

Holst gently nudged her. “Come on let’s find an inn to clean up at.”

The two headed back to their horses and wagon. Travelling for the rest of the day before finding a small town who would take them in. It wasn’t what she was used to but she didn’t care. As long as the crusted blood fell off her body and there was food in her stomach, it didn’t matter where they were.

* * *

They were one day away from Derdriu. Hilda couldn’t stop her heart from beating out of her chest. There was no reason to feel this way. She had been to many Founding Day balls this was no different.

Liar.

Hilda couldn’t put her feelings together. Every time she tried they would explode causing her to start over. Holst must have noticed and asked if she needed to rest. Hilda shook her head saying she was fine. Every step their horses took was one step closer to the capital. Hilda felt like her chest would burst open.

* * *

The past four months were grueling. With his grandfather’s untimely death, Claude found himself ill prepared for what was left behind. He had hoped when he returned from Garreg Mach he could learn more from him. The days were filled with endless amounts of work. Claude found himself waking up before the sun to get training in. After breakfast he had to read report after report. Some days he would accidently skip lunch and then pass out from exhaustion.

In order to pace himself, he started small. He needed to learn everything about House Riegan’s inner workings. Managing the employees, the land, and the stock was tedious. Even if there were others whose sole purpose was to manage one part of the house, it all came back to him. Once he got into the flow of the house, he moved onto Riegan territory. This wasn’t as taxing with all the towns and cities managing themselves but in the end it always came back to him. After he mastered Riegan he moved onto all the other territories. He knew some things such as Edmund’s thriving market, Gloucester’s massive lands, Goneril’s warrior status, and Ordelia’s declining state, but there was still more to learn.

When those working in House Riegan saw that he knew what he was doing, they began to speak with him. Claude found it annoying that he had to do so much to earn enough of their trust but it finally paid off. Of course it would be hypocritical to say he didn’t have some distrust towards them. They only needed to get along in order to accomplish anything.

As for his training he spent the mornings keeping up with his skills in the weapons he needed the most. For a while he would do this by himself. Setting up and taking down dummies that were available on his own. Maintaining weapons on his own. It was extremely boring. After the months of axe training with Hilda, this was a significant change. As the months went by certain soldiers began to train alongside him. With the soldiers he was able to make some meaningful progress. He even learned a few new techniques as well as things outside of official documents. Any shred of information was crucial.

The only thing he couldn’t do was pick a retainer. As the months passed more and more people asked him about it. First it was just the other four Nobles of the Alliance. Then the soldiers started asking. Soon the head of servants began to probe. The questioning went all the down the ladder until even some random citizens of Derdriu had asked him. Each time he would answer with a smile and a very polite no. Even before Garreg Mach he found the concept of a retainer odd. Not that they didn’t have something like that back at home but it was vastly different. After that year at Garreg Mach he had a more solid idea of what a retainer was supposed to do. Hilda was not the shining example of one. She simply did the bare minimum. In truth he didn’t even want her to do this job. There was no point having someone who would willingly give their life up for him. So he continued to not pick a retainer for himself. He just couldn’t find a reason to have one.

Just as they had two years ago, House Riegan began preparing for the Founding Day ball. The only difference being all the servants looked and listened to him. Inside Claude thanked Lorenz for his long and boring lectures as it allowed him to help plan the ball without any bumps in the road. Many nobles had arrived early for this year’s ball. At the same time many nobles refused to show up. It was a blessing in disguise. It meant less energy and resources would be used on this ball.

Claude watched as the grand hall was being decorated. He actually offered to help but the servants all looked at him as if he were out of his mind. When he did try to help they all stopped him. Now he grew bored with nothing to do.

“Duke Riegan.” The head of the servants came up to him and bowed. “I do appreciate you trying to help but,” The servant paused carefully choosing the right words. “Please leave this to us. You must be incredibly busy with other work.”

That was a nice way of telling him he had more important things to do. Claude bowed back before leaving the hall. As he made his way out of the assembly hall the sun blinded him. It was already falling down the sky.

Meaning there were only a few hours left before the eighth day of the Horsebow Moon. Only a few hours left before the Alliance would celebrate its founding. Only a few more hours before…

There wasn’t a good way to put together his thoughts. The best way to explain it was that he missed having people his age to speak with. To spend time with. To share a pot of tea with. He would be lying to himself if he said he missed everyone equally.

There wasn’t any time to sort out what had happened at the end of the Lone Moon as he was thrown into Dukedom. But Hilda’s face before she left was etched in his mind. He had never seen such sadness in her body and face. She even left without saying goodbye.

Claude figured it was no better time to begin unpacking some of these feelings. He needed the right words for when he saw Hilda again tomorrow.

* * *

When they arrived at Derdriu, servants of House Riegan greeted them at the gates. They quickly worked to take their horses and wagon off to the stables. Hilda asked one of the servants if Margrave Edmund had already arrived. The servant informed her that he had arrived earlier that day. Hilda’s heart fluttered at the possibility of seeing Marianne again.

They were led to the Riegan guest house where they were allowed to stay for the night if need be. None of this was new to her but the familiarity didn’t quell her nerves. Only a few more hours before the ball would begin. Holst told her he wanted to go early to speak with the other nobles.

Hilda went inside to get ready. She pulled out the dress she had packed for the ball. Looking at the balance of pink and black. The sheer sleeves complimented the bouffant style. It wasn’t as childish as her dress from two years ago but it was still fun.

Fun.

Something she needed a little bit of. Just a few more hours. Her hands shook as she put herself together.

* * *

Hilda told Holst to go ahead without her. Telling him she wanted to wait for someone. Despite the autumn chill, she stood outside in only her dress. Waiting for Margrave Edmund to appear. Noble after noble arrived and entered the hall. A few bowed as they walked past her but most just let her be. Finally Hilda could see Margrave Edmund approach. Hilda clutched the tiny purse in her hands. He was walking alone towards the hall. Her heart began to sink into her stomach.

When the Margrave reached the doors he bowed to her. “Hello Miss Goneril.”

Hilda bowed back. “Hello Margrave Edmund. Is Marianne here?”

The Margrave looked down at her. “Marianne is at home where she belongs.” The words cut into Hilda’s chest. Without another word, the Margrave entered the hall.

Hilda took in several deep breaths before going inside herself. She didn’t expect it to hurt this much.

* * *

Claude had heard the whole exchange from the balcony. Holst had entered without Hilda. When he asked about her, he told him that she was outside waiting for someone. After speaking with him for a bit, Claude excused himself. He went up to the balcony to look outside. There he found Hilda standing by herself at the entrance. The winds caused her pink and black dress to bounce.

Finally the person she was waiting for appeared. After the Margrave’s harsh words Hilda stood there stunned. When she finally went inside, he decided to go back in as well.

The less than grand celebration was about to begin.

* * *

In the past Hilda would have been deeply upset by this Founding Day ball. Today she didn’t mind what it had become. A part of her knew it would be selfish to throw something extravagant when there was a war. A few nobles grumbled about it but they let it pass. The usual things still happened; a speech, a toast, a dinner, and music. At the same time a lot of other things didn’t happen.

Just like the past years, Hilda only recognized Lorenz. The two talked for a bit, avoiding anything other than positive news. Lorenz talked about how he had begun helping his father manage Gloucester territory. Hilda held back from telling him what she had been doing. She wanted to keep her work a secret for now.

Eventually they talked about the Golden Deers. Last year she had invited them all to this ball. The end result was the same. Lysithea and Marianne had stayed home while Leonie, Ignatz, and Raphael didn’t have a chance at this luxury.

“It is a shame we couldn’t all be together.” Lorenz was a terrible liar so whenever he said things like this, he meant it. “I almost went out to pick them up myself however…” Lorenz looked around a bit. “I know my father would not have approved of it.”

Hilda took a quick peek around her as well before speaking. “Maybe we can try again next year. Or we can plan our own reunion. I can hardly call this one successful.” Hilda’s eyes wandered to where Claude was standing. There wasn’t a chance to speak with him with all the nobles approaching him. It was the complete opposite of when she first saw him two years ago. His hair was growing out and the tiny braid he had worn was no longer a part of his look.

Lorenz followed her sight to see Claude conversing with a few nobles. “It’s just the three of us and we can’t even get a word in with our own leader.” It was strange to hear him say that. He had so often talked about becoming the leader of the Alliance. She didn’t know if it was still his ambition or not but he acknowledged Claude as the leader for now.

They continued to talk for a while longer when Hilda spotted Margrave Edmund leaving. She excused herself and followed the Margrave out of the hall into the bitter autumn air. “Margrave Edmund!” The Margrave turned around with displeasure written all over his face. Hilda opened her purse and pulled out a flat, rectangular box. “Can you please give this to Marianne? I had hoped to give it to her today…” Without as much of a glance, he plucked the box from her hands and walked off.

Hilda was shaking from the cold but she couldn’t go back inside. Holst had told her of the Margrave’s love to debate. He never told her how spiteful he was. Marianne spoke very little of her adoptive father. Hilda preferred speaking about things that would make her smile.

“You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.”

That voice. That stupid carefree voice that invaded her mind these past few days. Hilda slowly turned to look up at Claude. “Hey Claude.”

* * *

Claude finally broke away from the stuffy ball. He truly needed a break with all the nobles lining up to speak with him. It was the complete opposite from two years ago. How quickly they all changed their behavior towards him now that he was the Duke. He remembered a few of them from before. Their actions didn’t bear what they thought of him. So he kept conversations light with open eyes and a smile.

Hilda had followed Margrave Edmund outside. Keeping his distance, he listened to the exchange. When the margrave left, he waited a few heartbeats before approaching her. It was silly to have to calm his nerves like this.

“You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.”

The words stirred her to turn around. Her bright pink eyes looked up to him. “Hey Claude.” Seeing her up close felt unreal. He couldn’t help but to soak in all the details of her appearance. From the way she had her hair up in a bun to the smallest of accessories she wore. The distance between them grew after the Great Tree moon. Now he had a chance to close it. “How’s life as the Leader Man?”

Claude laughed at her words. “Would you believe me if I said it was a glamorous life?”

The lopsided smile she always gave appeared. “Not for one second.” They shared a short laugh before silence took over.

All the preparation he did for this moment vanished. The scenarios he thought of and the words he practiced were all for naught. The only thing he could think of was to offer his right hand. Hilda looked at his outstretched hand then gently grasped it with her left hand.

Hand in hand, Claude led her to the back gardens of the government square. Most of the flowers had lost their petals but the hedges remained green. The large fountain in the middle was still flowing, the water shimmering under the moonlight. Stopping in front of the fountain, Claude bowed to Hilda and she gave a curtsy in return. Through their wordless exchange the two began a slow waltz in the garden.

Something else he learned in these past four months was dancing. A servant had caught him reading a book on Fodlan’s traditional dances and suggested he learn from an instructor. The dance lessons at times were more cruel than sword fighting with soldiers. Claude had realized Lorenz had gone easy on him from the few lessons he received.

The rigorous work he put towards learning how to dance paid off as he led Hilda around the fountain. Halfway around the fountain was when Claude pulled away to spin her under his arm. When she stepped back into place he found his right arm draping around her with his hand resting on the small of her back. He could feel her left hand sliding up his shoulder, pulling herself even closer. Pulled in close enough to… To what?

Her eyes glimmered with the stars as she gazed up at him. They were just rocking back and forth now. Just like last year she whispered words that made his heart jump into his throat. “I’ve missed you…”

* * *

Hilda had expected another awkward dance with Claude. Not that she cared if it was. The past two years dancing with his two left feet had brought her such joy. But when he placed his hand on her back, he began to literally sweep her off her feet.

Not only has he learned the box step but also how to step change and turns. They weren’t random either but in time with their movement. Hilda didn’t have to count the steps as he led her around the fountain. When he spun her under his arm, she took a larger step forward to have her feet meet his.

The warmth from his hand resting on the small of her back spread to the rest of her body. She found herself pulling in closer for more. They were close enough to… To what?

At this moment she had too many words to say. She wanted to tell him everything that had happened these past four months. Wanted to let him know what she was working towards. Wanted to dance with him like this everyday. Wanted to reach out and grasp his heart. But… She couldn’t. She wasn’t ready. There was still so much more she had to accomplish.

So she said the only thing she could muster right now. “I’ve missed you…” Hilda looked into his eyes. Those eyes that were always looking up and out now dug into her.

Claude finally broke into a smile, whispering back. “I’ve missed you too.” The words made her heart flutter. She always wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling. She wanted to know if he felt the emptiness she felt. If he also looked up to see no one by his side. If there were days he wished to grasp her hand. If he had missed her.

One of the things she wondered about was answered. For now she would refrain from finding out the answers for the other things she wondered. She could wait a little longer. “Have you been sleeping?”

The question made him chuckle. “Have you been worried about me?” Hilda gently squeezed his shoulder. Their time at Garreg Mach she had hated and expected him to answer with a question. This time was different. She had missed him so much it didn’t bother her that he answered this way. “And what about you Miss Goneril? Have you been living a life free of work?”

They had many discussions about her future of freetime. After she had said so many times that she wouldn’t join him in Derdriu. How she would leave Holst to do the work as Lord of House Goneril. That she would spend her time doing what she wanted. There was so much that had changed. But not enough change had happened. “How else would I have made Marianne’s gift?” She knew he had seen what happened. Of course the reality was she spent any amount of free time the past four months to make her something beautiful. “I just wish I could have seen her wearing it tonight…”

Before the words could come out of Claude’s open mouth, a different voice sliced through the garden. “Hilda?” Holst’s voice echoed into the night.

Right then and there she had realized how close they were to each other. How long they haven’t been dancing. How long they had held onto each other. Claude had realized it as well as his eyes grew in horror from Holst’s voice. There was a blush of pink flushing his cheeks as he quickly stepped back, letting her go. Without his embrace she also finally realized just how cold she was only wearing her dress.

Hilda scrambled to make this look normal. Normal and natural. She stepped next to Claude and turned him around. Then began walking around the fountain, laughing. “You’re funny Claude.”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Are my words that amusing?” She gave a silent prayer thanking the Goddess for his deft mind.

Pretending she didn’t hear Holst, Hilda looked up with fake shock seeing him stand at the end of the garden. “Oh Holst! Is the ball over?” She skipped over to him while Claude stayed behind with his leisurely pace.

Holst shook his head. “I thought you left so I went looking for you.”

“I’m sorry!” It was so easy to convince him. He didn’t have a trace of suspicion on his face. “I was just catching up with Claude.” Looking back she saw he had made it to them with a few steps of space. Without wanting them to converse, Hilda linked arms with Holst to turn him around. “Let’s go back in. I’m cold.”

Unfortunately, Holst liked talking. So as they walked back he talked with Claude who was now walking on Holst’s other side. It was mostly about stuff from when they were at Garreg Mach. Hilda was sure Holst had already said these things before but he could never stop thanking anyone who had helped her.

When they were back in the hall, Claude stayed and talked with her and Lorenz. To her surprise the three were talking as if nothing else was happening outside of the ball. Even with Lorenz’s support towards the Empire, he kept things normal. They all kept things normal. For this stolen moment outside of war they could be friends. Talk and laugh again as they had so many months ago.

If only it could last.

* * *

Claude saw off any nobles who had stayed overnight. That meant Holst and Hilda were leaving. At the entrance of the city they were talking as Holst finished packing the last of what they needed for the journey back. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay with little old me?” He wasn’t joking but he had to make it sound like one. Claude already knew the answer to the question. But it didn’t stop him from wanting her to stay by his side.

As expected Hilda shook her head. “Ever since what happened at the end of Lone Moon, Holst hasn’t taken an eye off me. He wouldn’t let me stay. Plus-”

“I know.” He wanted to say it before she did. As if it would lessen the injury. “It’s not something you would want to do. Have a safe trip back.”

There was that lopsided smile on her face. “Make sure you sleep.” The two quietly chuckled.

“Ready?” Holst called out from behind her.

Hilda turned back to Holst who was now mounted on top of his horse. She got onto hers and the two began their journey back. Claude waved even though they couldn’t see him.

* * *

She didn’t look back. She didn’t even give a proper goodbye. She just turned around as quickly as possible to avoid all the things welling up in her chest. When they got back home was when she would let everything out of her heart. Right now she needed to focus on the journey back.

Holst had planned another detour to make up for the training they had missed. This time they were going to stop by Ordelia territory per request of the Count. On their trip Holst explained Ordelia’s situation to her. How they were in decline because of what happened in Hrym. Hilda felt immense guilt for not understanding Lysithea back at Garreg Mach. She had always shown her dislike towards the nobility and Crests but Hilda never bothered to learn why. It made more sense why they sided with the Empire.

Their decline meant they couldn’t provide the manpower to fight against thieves who were ravishing towns in their territory. So Holst had offered to help after the Alliance Founding Day ball. Hilda internally thanked Holst for staying somewhat friendly with Count Ordelia even with opposing sides.

* * *

With the Alliance Founding Day ball out of the way, Claude was back to planning the war. News that the Kingdom and Empire were in a stalemate had reached him. The Empire still held onto Garreg Mach meaning they had an advantage over everyone. With Garreg Mach they had a central hub to easily access the rest of Fodlan.

Claude looked over the list of everyone employed in House Riegan and compared them to the lists from two years ago. His grandfather made no changes to employment except for replacing soldiers. He hated feeling like this all the time but that’s what his whole life revolved around. Trust was not easily gained especially when these same people had turned a blind eye to him two years ago.

If there were spies in House Riegan, he was going to make sure they had a hell of time finding information. Claude wrote out a message to send a few spies in Kingdom territory to find out which Houses were standing with the Empire or their homeland. There was no way they were as united as they appeared. There were always cracks for information to leak.

* * *

After helping Count Ordelia, they headed back home. Holst said they could take the rest of the day off before resuming training. Hilda decided to use the day to unpack herself. In her room she looked around her belongings for an empty journal. Once she found a plain brown leather journal, she flipped through to see if it was used already. The pages were blank deeming it the perfect starting point. Hilda sat at her desk and began to ink the pages.

It was far easier to let her thoughts out on paper. The longer they stayed in her mind, the more it took a toll on her. As she had expected it was messy. Not that it mattered since she was furiously scribbling whatever came into mind.

With the fog in her mind cleared, Hilda turned to the next clean page from her scribbling. Dipping the pen in the ink she began the journey of writing her mind.

_ Day 12 of the Horsebow Moon. I’m back home from The Alliance Founding Day ball. I felt like my heart was going to explode when I saw Claude again. _

* * *

Claude made his way to the aviary to look at the wyverns of House Riegan. It would be some time before he would be reunited with his wyvern. He needed a temporary solution for now. After speaking with the aviary’s overseer he was presented with a few options. Most of the wyverns without riders were going to migrate. Only the ones with the most trained riders would be staying behind.

He walked around the aviary with the overseer who explained each wyvern’s status. “Currently, there are only five without riders who will be staying. However, may I ask why you want to ride one? The past Duke’s have only been on horseback. It is unheard of for an archer to be on the back of a wyvern.”

It seemed that everyone was concerned with him riding a wyvern. Back at Garreg Mach and here it caused the same confusion. “That is true however I would like to believe I’m a little unconventional.” That was enough for the overseer’s curiosity.

After spending some time with the five wyverns, Claude flew to the skies. It was evident that his skills were rusty. This was something he should have done earlier this year but with everything happening he found it impossible to do this earlier.

Each wyvern was well trained but not to his liking. The way they soared wasn’t the way he had learned to fly. The best solution was to pick the most tame out of the bunch and hope he would adapt enough to get ready for a battle.

A battle he hoped wouldn’t come to the Alliance’s doorstep for some time.

* * *

Hilda climbed up the aviary on Holst’s request to get information on which wyverns were staying and which were migrating. The overseer handed the documents over containing the information of the wyverns staying behind. Only the older wyverns would be staying behind for the riders who were most experienced. As she spoke with the overseer, a roar bounced off the walls of the aviary. They ran over to see a few keepers wearily standing back from a wyvern.

“What is happening?” The overseer stepped over to the keepers who were shaking in their boots.

“She won’t leave her room!” A keeper pointed up to the wyvern who was standing up tall on her legs. Her wings spread out to double her size. “She’s one who we planned to have migrate but we can’t get her to leave.”

As the keepers explained what was happening to the overseer, Hilda found herself staring up at the wyvern. She had never seen one up close. The wyvern was a terrifying size. Its leathery brown scales bristled as she began to take a step forward.

“Miss Goneril please step back! She hasn’t been properly trained yet!” Hilda turned to them with a frown. They were stuck in their spots from fear. “She has quite the temper that even our most experienced riders haven’t been able to calm.”

If they continued to just look at the wyvern, nothing was going to happen. Hilda turned back to the wyvern and took another step forward. The wyvern growled. “Hi there. You don’t want to leave right?” She reached an arm out towards the wyvern.

The wyvern slowly lowered herself back to the ground. Her wings began to close and fold back into her body. Her hand was now holding the wyvern’s head. There was a blink and a snort from the wyvern. The golden eyes stared back at her. Hilda reached her other hand to gently rub the wyvern’s snout. A low grumble that could be mistaken as a purr came from its throat. Hilda finally figured why Claude wanted to ride a wyvern so badly. They were breathtaking. “She’s staying.” Was all she could muster.

“Miss Goneril she is an untrained wyvern and-”

Hilda turned around to cut the overseer off. “Then we train together.”

“Are you sure Miss Goneril?”

Hilda looked back into the wyvern’s eyes. The wyvern blinked at her. “Yes. I am going to ride this wyvern. No matter what.” As if the wyvern could understand her, she circled once around her then plopped onto the ground. Falling asleep after rolling in the hay. Hilda smiled at the overseer. “May I have her information?”


	18. Pegasus Moon 1181

Hilda threw another blanket over her wyvern. The past four months was spent learning how to ride a wyvern and learn about her in particular. The overseer had explained how she was brought into the house after reports of a rampant wyvern terrorizing some of the mountain side towns were made. She was only a few years old but was larger than most of the full grown and fully trained wyverns. Due to growing up on her own the wyvern was very reluctant to join the others. It had taken them months to get her in the aviary. After a few flying lessons they had deemed the wyvern unfit for battle due to her wild nature.

Yet the wyvern seemed to enjoy Hilda’s presence. At first when she would visit the wyvern she only talked to her. The wyvern seemed to listen to her gabbing. At some point when Hilda found writing in her diary to be insufficient, she would drain all of her thoughts to the wyvern. Oddly enough it seemed like she could understand what she was saying. One day she laid her head in Hilda’s lap and whined as she went on about how much she missed all of her friends. It was mostly about Marianne. She couldn’t even talk about Claude to the wyvern.

After some time Hilda brought up a large book of names and began rattling them off to the wyvern. It took hours before the wyvern finally responded to a name that was to her liking. Now that a name was chosen she could begin training with Prima.

It didn’t take long to learn how stubborn she was. Stubborn and lazy. If she found something was unfit for her, she would simply roll around the ground and not get up. Some days she was unable to get into the air as the giant creature would refuse to leave her room. When they did get into the air, Prima would wildly soar the skies. With the mountains of the Goneril territory Hilda was sure she was going to perish a few times. Eventually she learned that Prima really only cared for hunting wild game. With this knowledge she used it as some kind of incentive to get the wyvern to work with her. Hilda wondered if others found her as insufferable.

“There you go Prima. Now you should stay warm.” Prima opened a single eye and snorted. As if to tell her she was finally satisfied. Hilda knelt down and scratched around her horns. “You big baby.” Prima purred as she nuzzled her snout into her chest. Hilda could feel her take in a deep breath. “Do you like the smell? It’s a perfume a friend made for me. I got it last year.” The wyvern took in another sniff then laid her head into her lap, seeming to approve of the scent.

It was exactly one year since she received Claude’s perfume. She had never really cared to savor something before since she knew she could always purchase another. This perfume was different. She used it sparingly for special occasions. During the Alliance Founding Day ball she had wanted to wear it but was afraid it would break on their way to Derdriu.

The giant wyvern began to snore. Hilda slowly lowered her head from her lap onto a soft pile of hay. Going down the aviary’s stairs would build her appetite just fine. Holst had allowed her to take the day off for her birthday but she denied it. She wanted to still run up and down the snowy mountains before bed despite it being her birthday. She couldn’t afford to miss a day. It was getting closer to her next test and she had to be ready.

* * *

Claude felt guilty for not spending time with the wyvern he chose. Well he was still training with the wyvern but it's not like he spent the time to get to know the creature. He knew it would be a temporary solution until he could get his wyvern here. When picking a wyvern he had asked the overseer for the wyvern’s different previous riders. Along with it’s tamer nature, it was an intentional choice. A tactical one as the wyvern would get the job done and there wouldn’t be a strong emotional connection. He knew once his wyvern came here all of his time would be spent with him. But he couldn’t stop feeling guilty about the choice.

The lack of bonding made him miss his wyvern even more. A part of him feared that the wyvern would now be completely different from when he last saw him. A part of him wanted to send a letter asking about the wyvern but it felt like a waste to send something so unimportant with his scarce options. Claude still hadn’t used that option even if it was available. A part of him couldn’t trust such a lofty system to get his letters across.

The excuse he kept using for not spending time with the wyvern was that he was busy preparing for the next Roundtable meeting. Each meeting felt like lifetimes that would drain his will to stand. One thing after another would come up. If Count Gloucester proposed one thing, Duke Goneril would oppose it. When Count Ordelia would ask for something, Margrave Edmund would counter it.

It didn’t help that the next meeting was going to be about Fodlan’s Locket.

Claude let out huff as he put Failnaught down onto the ground and stepped away from the bow. There were too many things running around in his mind to focus on training with the Relic. The worst part of his grandfather passing was not being able to learn how to use the damn thing. He thought it would be as easy as using any other bow.

That was his first mistake.

He finally understood why Hilda looked like she was being ripped apart from the inside back in the Lone Moon. Everytime he grabbed the bow his blood would react to it, boiling hotter the longer he held onto it. It made sense after all the research they had done but it didn’t lessen his frustration. No one else could use the damn thing to train him so all the work had to be done on his own.

Over time his body grew used to the Relic. At some point the pain didn’t lessen. So, like clockwork, Claude just grew used to it. His Crest activating didn’t really help either. He had learned that the Crest of Riegan wasn’t as offensive as other Crests. It was better used for utility. There was still a temporary surge of power but outside of battle it wasn’t as useful. The one thing that he didn’t mind was that holding the Relic kept him warm during the winter months. But winter wouldn’t last forever and he was going to need to master the Relic soon.

“Excuse me Duke Riegan.” Claude turned around to see a knight standing at the entrance of the training hall. “Are you still having trouble with the Relic?”

Was it that obvious? Claude held back the agitated tone that was welling in his throat. “Seems so.”

The knight came forward and stopped just a few steps before the Relic. “If I may, past Dukes have always worn gloves when handling the Relic. Apparently it helps.”

Gloves.

Claude wanted to let out a scream. If that really was the solution, it was one of the most obvious and stupid things he had ever heard. No one at Garreg Mach handled a Relic except for professor Byleth and Catherine. There wasn't a large enough pool of wielders for him to figure that wearing gloves would help.

The knight handed him a glove. Claude put it on and took hold of Failnaught again.

This truly was one of the stupidest things he had discovered over all the years he had spent learning about Fodlan.

* * *

Holst was relentless the past week with his questions. Hilda had to answer each one within seconds or else he wouldn’t let her pass. Even during training he would have her repeat laws of the Alliance. The different treaties and agreements that had been passed between and within territories. What each region specialized in as well as their current political standings.

With the addition to full heavy armor, he doubled down on axe training. Specifically how to use her Crest and Freikugel. The research she had done with Claude proved to be useful. At times she would accidentally say more than needed, surprising her brother. The biggest difference between them was that Holst had a major Crest while she had a minor one. It was one of the reasons he was so strong. It was also why Freikugel was his birthright but he had given it to her.

During this past year she had seen his Crest activate far more often than hers. At first he would back off when it did. Now he would continue sparring to keep her on her toes. With the infrequency of her Crest activating it made it difficult to learn how to use it to its full potential. Even if it was random, Holst made sure to teach her how to anticipate it. The biggest thing was having to learn how her blood flowed through her body. It became easier to feel when her Crest would become active. Now able to pinpoint exactly how her body reacted to it activating and using the temporary strength to its full potential.

Using Freikugel became easier. When she first used it back in the Lone Moon she felt her blood would boil her inside out. It made more sense with the research she had done why her blood reacted this way. Holst made sure she wore thick gloves not just for winter but for handling the Relic. He couldn’t explain it but the gloves helped when holding a Relic. With each use, her body adjusted more and more to the increased power flowing through the Relic. When her Crest activated the Relic would glow even brighter releasing a spike of energy that would affect the area around her. In the bitter winter it became quite useful as the flames of her power kept her warm.

At dinner Holst began to quiz her on Almyra. The next Roundtable Meeting was supposed to focus on Fodlan’s Locket and the relationship between the Alliance and Almyra. Hilda thanked Cyril for providing her some history and stories. Holst even asked about Cyril during his quiz. “I wish I could meet him to give him my thanks.”

Hilda gave a tiny smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t want to bring anyone into the house while you were ill.” She also didn’t know how he would react to Cyril being in the house. “You’re going to Fodlan’s Throat tomorrow right?”

Holst swallowed his food with a nod. “I am. Did you want to come with me? It’s a simple check up to report if any repairs need to be done.”

“Yes!” Her requests no longer seemed far-fetched to her brother. He smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’ve only been there that one time last year. I want to get to know the Locket and Throat better.”

The rest of dinner was spent with Holst laying out what would happen tomorrow. Hilda would need a medium weight jacket and boots for the snow that had accumulated on the mountain tops. It also meant she couldn’t bring Prima because of the colder temperatures. Hilda spent the night packing and preparing for the trip to the Throat.

* * *

Claude expected the Roundtable meeting to be a mess today. He did not expect Hilda to join Holst. When they walked into the Parliament hall together, he had nearly dropped all of his paperwork upon seeing her. She was dressed in a black formal dress to match Holst. As usual a sword sat on Holst’s left side and a ribbon was wrapped around Hilda’s waist making a very large bow on her back. When he asked her why she came, she simply shrugged saying she wanted to join. As they made their way to the assembly hall, he noticed she was falling behind Holst by a few steps.

He couldn’t stop taking glances over as she sat next to Holst. Hilda hated politics and listening to older people argue. Yet she was sitting there not with boredom but with attention. Claude let Count Gloucester throw around a few words before he shifted the topic. For now he didn’t seem to realize why small towns in his territory were rebelling. He simply continued to complain about the trouble it caused.

“Count Gloucester please.” Count Ordelia was rubbing his temple. “I would love to have dinner before the sun goes down. Can we please move on to the main topic?”

“I agree. There is not much you do to quell the common folk when it comes to these matters.” Margrave Edmund pulled his chair in closer. Knowing what was coming next.

Claude let out a stifled sigh. “Yes Fodlan’s Locket. Duke Goneril if you can present us with your report and proposition for Fodlan’s Locket-”

“Actually,” Hilda stood from her seat. “I will be presenting House Goneril’s report and proposition.”

Margrave Edmund scoffed out loud. “What can you possibly say Miss-”

“Lady.” Hilda gave a cold glare towards the Margrave. “It is Lady Goneril.”

Claude felt an icy chill run down his spine. He had never heard Hilda use a tone that low and flat before. She always made sure her voice could sing into a person’s ear. Sing and invade a person's mind.

“What?” Count Gloucester squinted at Holst. “Since when?”

“Since my sister proved to be more than capable of earning the title of Lady of the Dukedom of Goneril.” The look Holst gave back caused the Count to sink back into his chair. Then he turned to give a small smile of reassurance to Hilda. Hilda smiled back.

The world was turning upside down. Claude felt his feet trying to dig into the ground as if it would keep him from falling over. Hilda took in a deep breath and held it for a second. Without any papers, she began to recite the report. “Fodlan’s Locket and the Throat are still in top condition thanks to Margrave Edmund’s funding.” The Margrave approved so far as he nodded towards her. Hilda nodded back. “No repairs need to be done and furthermore no additions need to be made. The last time the Almyrans attacked was last year in the Guardian Moon. At the time our father was unable to join due to his age and my brother was unable to join due to a sudden illness. I defended the Throat alongside House Goneril’s retainers and soldiers. I was able to see first hand what the Throat is capable of during a battle.” There was an air approval from the other lords in the room.

Hilda took a pause before continuing. “That is why House Goneril proposes that we move funding from Fodlan’s Throat into other areas of the Alliance.” Those were words no one wasn’t expecting.

“What?” Count Gloucester sat up in his seat. “That is preposterous! Just because the Locket and Throat are in top condition does not mean we move funding! Who is to say the Almyrans won’t attack again!”

Hilda turned to the Count. “Because they won’t.”

Margrave Edmund stirred in his seat. “How do you know? Have you personally talked to the Almyrans and made some kind of secret deal behind our backs?”

Hilda looked straight at the Margrave. “Actually, I have. In fact, I have spoken to Almyrans before and have befriended a few.”

Claude was going to pass out. Sweat ran down his back like a waterfall. He hadn’t taken a new breath of air in what felt like hours. Then Hilda looked straight at him. Their eyes locked together. Her pink eyes were burning a hole into his heart. There was no way. No possible way she had figured it out.

“Duke Riegan,” The fire from her eyes danced around the room. “May I take some time to tell a story?”

“Of course.” Claude stepped back into his chair. If he didn’t sit he would collapse. He wasn’t going to deny her request even if his heart was pounding against his chest. If she had figured it out she wouldn’t say it outloud… Right? Hilda had more tact than that.

Hilda finally let go of her hold on him as she took a look around at the other lords. “Last week I accompanied my brother to Fodlan’s Throat.”

* * *

Fodlan’s Locket was covered in snow as high as her thighs. Holst being the towering hulk he was did not share this experience. He was nearly half a meter taller than her. Using his height he walked in front of her to clear the snow so she could move a little faster. They were only halfway done with checking on the Throat’s defenses and it was their second day checking up on it. The wind began to howl and rip through the mountain. Holst pointed to an upcoming tower suggesting they rest for a bit.

As they got closer they could see the soldiers stationed at the tower waving to them. The soldiers rushed them in to shelter against the growing winds. There was a pot of tea already brewing when they entered. While they warmed up the soldiers explained the state of their sections. Noting that they had not seen any enemy Almyran troops nearby. When the winds finally died down, Holst thanked the soldiers and headed back out. Hilda blinked at the blinding snow. Only several more miles of the Throat to go before they were finished.

In the distance there was a bird flying around in the sky. Hilda watched as the eagle-like creature circled around a cluster of pine trees. It’s feathers seemed to shine from the sunlight. Beyond the flying creature she swore she saw smoke. It was barely visible against the gray sky but she couldn’t stop squinting in that direction. As they continued down the path she became more sure of it.

“Watch your step. It’s a little-”

Hilda felt her feet slip before anything else. She was so focused on the smoke that she had strayed from Holst’s path. When a scream finally left her mouth, she was already sliding down the mountain side.

Luckily for her the snow was fresh and soft. Tumbling to a halt at the bottom of the slope. Hilda looked out in front of her to see she was resting in the saddle of this set of mountains. Looking up she couldn’t see the peak from where she slipped from. “Holst?” Her voice was getting lost to the wind. “Great…” Looking around a bit more she saw the direction they were heading towards. The mountain top seemed to get shorter while the saddle rose. Even with the pine trees in the way, it was the best way to get back up to the Locket.

The snow here wasn’t as high making it easier to walk through. However, it did not help that her ankle was screaming in pain. Hilda leaned up against a tree and unlatched her hatchet. She began to move the snow with it as if it were a shovel. It was a miracle that the rest of her seemed uninjured. The progress she was making was less than ideal. The bird she saw before was now flying over her. With it closer now she could put together that it wasn’t an eagle or a hawk. The bird flew back towards the smoke that was now a little closer.

The density of trees grew allowing her to use them as crutches. Hilda leaned up against a tree to take a short break. It was impossible to see the sky now as the pine trees covered it up. As long as she kept walking forward she was bound to make it back to Holst and-

The crunching of snow came from her right. Before she could react there was an arrow being pointed at her. “ Who are you?” Hilda dropped her hatchet and threw her hands up into the air. She took a good look at the archer dressed in green. There were gold geometric patterns at the hem of her tunic. A thick sash was tied around her waist with some fabric draping over her right shoulder. Animal fur was thrown around her neck like a scarf and a leather satchel hung across her body. Despite not looking dressed for the weather, she did have boots and gloves on. Her golden tan skin and braided black hair shone from the light bouncing off the snow. The archer most definitely wasn’t from Fodlan.

“I- I fell down the mountain.” The archer lowered her arrow and loosened the draw. Hilda wasn’t sure how much she would understand. “I’m trying to get back up.” She couldn’t read the archers face. It sat perfectly still as she stared at her.

“You are injured.” She looked down at her ankle. “Rest.” She motioned her to follow behind. Hilda picked her hatchet back up and limped behind. The archer whistled causing the bird that was flying around to come down to land on her arm. Then she said something in a language Hilda had never heard before. The bird seemed to look at her before taking off again. “We are in middle of Zagros mountains. You people call it…”

“Fodlan’s Locket.” The archer smiled at the answer. Where the smoke came from was now answered as they walked over to a small campfire. “Um… Are you Almyran?” Hilda couldn’t help but ask. It seemed like an obvious answer but she wanted to be sure.

“Yes. What else I could be?” So she was correct. The archer stood by the fire, warming up her hands. “Sit.” She gestured for her to sit. Hilda slowly lowered herself onto the ground next to the fire. Hissing at the pain that rippled in her ankle. Without another word, the archer took out linen cloth from her satchel. She moved closer to Hilda and took her boot off. With deft hands, she wrapped the linen around her ankle and slipped the boot back on.

“Thank you.” Hilda couldn’t stop thinking about what happened last year. How she risked trying to talk to an Almyran in the middle of a battle. Now her chance was right in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

The archer moved to sit across from her. Her brows furrowed together at the question. “Looking. But you people do not attack. So I will be leaving soon.”

“Looking? Like checking if we will attack?”

“Oh yes. Checking.” She nodded at the word as if adding it to her own dictionary. “But no use. Fodlan never attack. Only wait.”

Cyril had explained to her how the Almyran army worked. Most of their attacks were not to invade Fodlan but to just show off strength. If the battle was won or lost, they would retreat after some time to honor the dead in a celebration. Even with that information Hilda wanted to know more. “Why do you attack us?”

“Because you do not.” That was an answer she was not expecting. “In Almyra we fight for strength. In west and east. Then we go home to feast.”

East of Almyra. There was so much Hilda didn’t know. She had never even heard of nations beyond Almyra. “Is fighting like a sport?”

“Sport?”

“Uh… For fun?”

The archer thought for a second then nodded. “Yes for fun. We do not want to take over nations. We have fun to show strength. In east, we have many fights for fun.”

Hilda had never heard of two nations fighting for fun. Right now Fodlan had two of them fighting to the death while one stayed neutral. It made no sense to start fights against a nation that didn’t have a mutual understanding. “So why attack Fodlan then?”

The archer looked at her confused. Her question must not have been clear enough. “Because you do not. Fodlan has no fun in battle. It is funny. You hide like… cowards.”

That was why. Hilda began to piece things together. She tried to find the words that would be easy to understand. “Fodlan is afraid of Almyra. We think you are attacking because you don’t like us.”

That made the archer laugh. Her eyes curved up making them look like crescent moons. “Yes and no. Not everyone hate Fodlan. But you people are not like us so some do not like Fodlan.”

Hilda soaked in what she said. It would be ridiculous for an entire nation of people to hate Fodlan. That was something they had in common. Not everyone at Garreg Mach seemed to see the Almyrans the same way the Alliance did. The next thing she wondered was why this archer was even taking time to assist her. “Why are you helping me?”

“Outside of fighting we help. Or it is no fun.” That was an interesting tidbit. For a nation that took pride in their strength they had an oddly soft side. Hilda couldn’t say much more on the subject. It would be a bother to explain how Fodlan would just leave enemies to die.

The more she studied the archer, the more different details began to stand out. “I like your hair.” She meant to say the way it was styled but she wasn’t sure that would have translated. Even with her long hair braided back, there was one tiny braid falling down the right side of her face.

The archer smiled. “Thank you. In Almyra soldiers have braids and earring.” She pointed to the golden earring on her left ear. “Fodlan?”

There wasn’t anything that unified Fodlan’s soldiers. There wasn’t anything before and now with the war, the only thing separating them were the colors of their nations. “Yes and no. The Alliance wears yellow. The Empire wears red and the Kingdom wears blue.”

“But you wear pink.”

It was Hilda’s turn to laugh. “My family color is pink.”

The archer’s brows furrowed together. “Fodlan is… confuse…”

Before she would have disagreed. But after researching with Claude and the war, she found herself agreeing with the archer. “We are confusing…” For a second they didn’t say anything. But Hilda still wanted to know one more thing. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes?” Her dark eyes dug into her.

“Will Almyra attack Fodlan again?” If Hilda could get an answer it would help them. Perhaps the Alliance could focus on other things during the war.

“Our spahbed say no attack Fodlan.” It was possible the archer did not know the word in their language. Hilda figured it was whoever was in charge. “But we still… checking Fodlan.”

“What about last year when you attacked?”

She thought for a second recalling the attack. She shook her head once she did. “That attack go against order. They were punished by our spahbed.”

Hilda was stunned. It was an attack that wasn’t supposed to happen. “Why did your… spahbed say not to attack Fodlan?” She wasn’t sure if she had said it correctly but the archer smiled at her.

“The Prince of Almyra asked spahbed to not attack Fodlan.” Her brows furrowed together. Hilda wasn’t sure what emotion that was supposed to be. “The prince gone for long time now but spahbed says no attack.”

“Your prince seems very kind.”

“I do not know. I did not meet the prince.”

Here was a soldier who didn’t even know the heir to the Almyran throne. Yet she seemed to be faithful enough to keep the prince’s words. Hilda didn't know anyone with that kind of faith in Fodlan. They had all whispered such terrible things about Claude when he was announced to be the heir of House Riegan. “I think you are amazing. In Fodlan we would not listen to someone we don’t know.”

The archer shook her head. “Not all Almyran like the prince. But our spahbed train the prince. I believe in spahbed so I listen.” So it wasn’t complete blind trust. She had put trust towards her superior over the prince. Enough trust to uphold the words of a prince she had never met.

“Why do they not like the prince?”

As she opened her mouth, the bird flew back to the little camp. It landed on her arm and she began to speak in Almyran to the bird. Then Hilda heard Holst calling for her. “Hilda?” The archer only smiled as her brother's footsteps approached their spot. 

She turned to see him making his way through the trees. “Holst! How did you find me?”

Holst looked up at the archer who was now standing with the bird resting on her shoulder. She kicked snow over the fire to put it out. “That bird started to fly around us. It landed on me and pulled on my jacket. So I told the soldiers to stay put while I followed it.”

The archer was still smiling. “I am happy to meet you.”

“Thank you for helping me.” Without another word, the archer gave a small bow and left. Her black hair swayed behind her with each step.

Only when the archer had disappeared did Hilda realize she never got her name. She groaned at the realization. “I never got her name.” Hilda looked up at Holst. Understandably he was confused. “I think I twisted my ankle. Can you help me?”

Holst got down and put Hilda on his back. On the way back up to Fodlan’s Throat she explained what had happened. At first he didn’t seem to believe her but when she told him a bird had helped him, he began to take the story seriously. With her injury she wouldn’t be able to finish checking on the Throat with him. They went down the mountain to rest at a base. That night they prepared what they would tell the lords at the Roundtable meeting.

* * *

Claude could finally breathe again. He had leaned back into his chair to steady himself. Even resting his head in his hand to keep it from moving. The story wasn’t about him. It explained why she was falling behind Holst. The injury was serious enough where she still hadn’t fully recovered. In a blank spot on his papers, Claude had inked a note for himself. The way Hilda described her meant the archer had a higher ranking. They didn’t send just anyone to do a routine check. Especially when there was snow on the mountains. Not having her name was a problem though. The description wasn’t specific enough for him to just casually ask about. Even if he did it wouldn’t produce any results.

“In conclusion the Almyrans don’t attack Fodlan out of malicious intent. To them fighting is a show of strength that is later celebrated whether they win or lose. Outside of battles they are willing to help their enemies. According to the archer their superior was given orders from the prince to not attack Fodlan’s Throat. The attack that happened last year was from a small group who was later punished for their actions. House Goneril believes it would be best to move funding from the Throat to help the Alliance elsewhere.”

The room sat still as Hilda finished her story and proposition. No one made a sound as they processed what they had heard. Claude wouldn’t be the first to respond. No, he would have someone else take the floor.

To no surprise, Count Gloucester took the first jab. “How can you trust this one Almyran soldier so much? That’s only one person from a nation with millions of people.”

“Cyril is an Almyran who worked for Lady Rhea. He had taken time to explain the inner workings of the Almyran army to me. What the archer said matches his words.”

The Count wasn’t satisfied with that response. “That is only two people who’s-”

“If the heir to the Almyran throne himself had asked the army to stop attacking Fodlan, I would like to believe his decree holds meaning.” In a flash, her eyes darted to look at Claude.

Margrave Edmund began to snicker. “Is the Lady of Goneril going to meet the Prince of Almyra to get a written treaty?”

“I could.” Hilda’s eyes darted in his direction again. Claude was back to holding his breath. “But the archer has stated the prince has not been in Almyra for some time. Her superior seems to still hold the prince’s decree. Even punishing the attack from last year.”

Claude bit his tongue for one more second. Finally finding the strength in his legs to stand up. “Lady Goneril.” Hilda finally turned to fully face him. “Where do you propose the funding for the Throat be moved to?”

“To the Great Bridge of Myrddin. It’s an essential point to keep the Alliance and Empire separate. Since the Alliance is neutral, it would be a shame for the bridge to be unprepared if the Empire ever tries to enter.” Hilda then looked to Count Ordelia. “We would also like to help the County of Ordelia financially with the money.”

The Count’s face brightened at the offer. It would be hard for him to refuse with their declining status. He was never one to give any input on what the Alliance did with Fodlan’s Locket. His concerns always laid elsewhere. Claude wasn’t sure when she had learned all this but Hilda had played the right cards. “I will happily accept the offer.” He stood to his feet and bowed.

“This is an absolute sham! You would rather risk us being attacked by the Eastern Menace than to join the Empire in this war! You are an insolent girl who isn’t old enough to understand the consequences of-” Count Gloucester slammed the table as he shot up from his chair.

As the Count stepped towards Hilda, she quickly stepped back. Holst rose from his chair so fast it screeched across the floor. Hilda reached behind her while Holst reached for the sword at his holster. “You take another step forward and I will not regret having you bleed on this floor.” Holst was practically growling at the Count. “My priorities are to protect my family and the people of Goneril. If you cross that line I will not hesitate to show you what it means to be the Great General of the Leicester Alliance.”

Claude had never seen Holst attack another lord in any capacity. He was generally a calm yet energetic individual who could never stop worrying about his sister. Fire danced around the Goneril’s eyes as they glared at the Count. Slowly, the Count descended back into his seat. Only when he was seated did Holst let go of his sword. Hilda kept her hand behind her back for a second longer before dropping it to her side. Holst silently went to push his chair back to the table. He didn’t sit back down, choosing to stand right next to Hilda with his arms crossed. The air sat stale as no one dared speak.

Then Margrave Edmund cleared his throat. “I object to the offer.”

“As do I.” Count Gloucester said it so fast he almost missed the words.

Claude smiled at Hilda. “I guess the funds for Fodlan’s Locket and Throat will now be moved to the Great Bridge of Myrddin and to the County of Ordelia.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Three votes to two. Thank you Lady Goneril.” Hilda returned the smile and bowed. She took her seat finally causing Holst to take his.

The rest of the meeting was spent debating how much money would go to Count Gloucester for the Bridge of Myrddin and how much would go to Count Ordelia. Once the numbers were negotiated they planned for what additions the bridge would have and what Ordeila would use the money for. Holst agreed to provide aid to the Count to lessen the burden. When everything was finally finished, Claude dismissed the meeting. Margrave Edmund left first as usual. Count Gloucester didn’t stay behind as he quickly gathered his belongings and left without a word or glance. Count Ordelia was profusely thanking Hilda for the funds.

Hilda bowed to the Count. “I am happy to help you. Um, may I ask how Lysithea is doing?”

The Count gave a weak smile. “Lysithea has been helping our family. Working even harder than me.”

Hearing that didn’t surprise Claude. Lysithea worked the hardest out of the Golden Deers. Hilda’s smile grew hearing the update. “Please tell her my greetings.”

“I will.” With that, the Count left.

Claude waited a heartbeat before walking over to Hilda and Holst. He was so sure he was going to fall over from everything that had happened. “So Lady Goneril were you planning to put us into shock from the start?”

Hilda gave a sly smile. Humming a little as she swayed back and forth. “Maybe. Why?”

“If I remember correctly you hate politics.” Claude held back returning her smile. After having heard Holst threaten Count Gloucester for taking a step forward and remembering what Balthus had said before, he held back the urge to throw anymore at her.

“Hmm… I guess I did.” Without adding anything else, Hilda whipped around and linked arms with Holst. Claude eyed that the bow tied around her waist had a small bump at the knot. If he had the chance he would have taught her how to correctly conceal a small weapon on an outfit like hers. “Come on Holst I’m hungry!” With her strength she was able to drag the towering lord out of the room.

Claude walked back to his seat to look over his papers. As much as he wanted to eat dinner he would need to take a nap. The meeting had taken years off of his life. Specifically Hilda had shaved those years off. The girl she was before no longer existed. An insatiable drive to learn about the new Lady of Goneril began to grow from his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zagros Mountain is an actual mountain range that exists in our world. I am just not creative enough to think of a different name.


	19. Lone Moon 1181

There was one more test she needed to pass. Holst wasn’t going to let her go without her passing it. So Hilda continued to wake up before the sun to train. Continued to review and learn what she knew about the Alliance. She could now proficiently use three different weapons, fly a wyvern to the skies, and fight in heavy armor. She had thoroughly learned every law and treaty that held the Alliance together. After her work at the last Roundtable meeting Holst praised her for her mastery with speaking to the other Lords. The last thing she needed to do was without Holst nearby to help. When the opportunity presented itself, it would be her moment.

For now they needed to continue fulfilling their duties to Count Ordelia. It wasn’t much but the Count could never stop thanking them after every trip. Lysithea was nowhere to be seen when they did go to the estate. The Count assured her that she was busy working. Working even harder with the additional money coming into their territory.

“Lady Goneril we are ready to move.” The retainer bowed to her. “The others have finished getting ready and the wagons are packed.”

Hilda bowed back. “Thank you. We can leave soon.” The retainer bowed again and walked back to the rest of the group. Several wagons were packed with weapons and rations. Holst was checking one last time with his soldiers. He always worried about every detail.

The thunderous flapping of Prima’s wings caused the caravan to stop talking and look up. Hilda whistled for her to land. The wyvern just looked down at her and continued to circle around. “Prima!” Yelling at her only made the wyvern ignore her more. Hilda groaned trying one more time. “I promise we can go hunting! Just come down!” The promise of a hunt finally caught the wyvern’s attention. She circled one more time before landing right next to her. Hilda covered her face as the dust swirled around. “You spoiled baby!” Prima only snorted as she scratched around her horns. “It’s time to go soon.”

Before mounting the wyvern, Hilda checked the saddle and tightened the belts. She made sure Freikugel was secured in its holster. Once she deemed everything to be ready, Hilda hopped onto Prima’s back. “Alright let’s fly.” Prima snorted and began to flap her wings. No matter how many times she took off, she found the same butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

As she flew around in the skies Holst began to move the caravan out. Both of their battalions followed in formation with their wagons. Hilda waved down to her brother who waved back. Once she saw him wave, she took off ahead of the group towards Ordelia territory. Scouting for any potential threats and a game to hunt for Prima.

* * *

After days of preparation, Claude decided to finally take a break. There was still more to look over especially since one of the spies had returned from the Kingdom. It was going to be the last Roundtable meeting of the year before the lords went off for a short break. It just seemed right to take a small one now. He had occasionally taken Hilda’s words to heart and would sleep at an appropriate time but his desk was more like a bed at this point. Of course the nap he took after Hilda’s showcase turned into a full fledged slumber as he woke up in the afternoon the next day.

Claude took to the skies with his temporary wyvern. Soon. It would be so soon when he could finally reunite with his wyvern. As he flew around an express messenger from Gloucester came through to Derdriu. When he landed, the messenger quickly rattled off the message. “Duke Riegan! There are sightings of Demonic Beasts in Gloucester territory! The Count has asked for further assistance!” The messenger handed him a letter with a map. “They are planning to lure the beasts on the location marked on the map. That is where the battle will take place.”

“Understood.” Claude took the map from the messenger who bowed and took off on his horse. He looked over the map to see what the Count had planned. Despite his attitude, he at least planned for the beasts to stay away from towns and roads. It was a solid plan. Claude went back to quickly gather his battalion and head to Gloucester. Demonic Beasts being in the Alliance was no good news. They would have to deal with it quickly.

* * *

The last of the supplies were moved to the Ordelia house. It was the last shipment for the Count to provide for his own soldiers. As he and Holst discussed travelling to Derdriu together, an express messenger came galloping towards them. “Count Ordelia! Duke Goneril!” The Count and Holst bowed to the messenger. “There are sightings of Demonic Beasts in Gloucester territory! The Count has asked for further assistance!”

Count Ordelia shook his head. “I only recently received funding for my own soldiers. We just finished getting the last of the supplies. I won’t be able to provide aid right now.”

Holst turned to her with a smile. “Do you think you can handle this… On your own?”

It was time.

Hilda smiled back. “I’ll meet you at Derdriu!”

“See you in a few days.” Usually he would have given her a hug but there wasn’t time for it.

Hilda quickly gathered her battalion and a single wagon. While her battalion repacked the messenger explained where the beasts had been spotted. A map was handed to her with markings on the projected trajectory and where they planned to fight them. Hilda looked over the map of Gloucester territory. They were going to try and lure the beasts away from any towns and roads. She had to give credit to the Count for at least caring about his people.

The messenger took off and her retainer informed her that they were ready. Hilda got back onto Prima and told the retainer to follow the map. She explained how she would be looking around in case the beasts changed direction. With that she took off into the skies. Looking down she could see her battalion begin moving out. They followed the retainer’s orders and began to head into Gloucester territory.

* * *

Claude followed the map with his battalion following behind. The plan seemed to work as four Demonic Beasts came into view. As they approached, he could see Gloucester knights were already in the heat of battle. Claude scanned the field for the one leading them. He quickly spotted a familiar noble with purple hair riding on his horse. Swooping down he flew right over him. “Long time no see Lorenz.”

Lorenz looked up with a mixture of relief and frustration. “We do not have time for idle chatter Claude. But,” A tiny smile broke out. “It is good to see you.”

Claude landed the wyvern so he could hear what Lorenz had to say. “Tell me more about this plan.”

“We need to eliminate the beasts before they get past the tree line.” Lorenz pointed behind him. “There is a town several miles that way and we need to prevent them from-”

Claude unsheathed Failnaught and brought his wyvern back into the sky for battle. “Got it!” Despite Lorenz saying they didn’t have time, Claude knew he could end up talking for far longer than he needed to. Four beasts against him and Lorenz. This was going to be quite the battle.

* * *

Hilda finished circling around the nearby area. The plan to lure them must have worked since they weren’t here. Before she could go to the fight she had to make sure Prima would follow along. She quickly grounded the wyvern and hopped off.

“I know you don’t like following orders but,” The wyvern huffed. Hilda sighed and began to pet her snout. “I promise I will let you fight however you want to ok?” Prima grumbled a little. “And of course we can go hunting.” She grumbled a little more. “And afterwards you can meet my friend who made that perfume.” Prima’s golden eyes locked onto hers. She was now interested in following directions. Hilda kissed her snout and laughed. “You spoiled baby! Who raised you?” Prima nudged her body with her giant head as if to say she was raised by her. “Good let’s get going.” Hilda got back into the saddle and took off.

She would be lying if she didn’t admit she also needed the small bit of time to prepare herself mentally. They had fought a Demonic Beast before as a class. The past year Holst stayed by her side when they would go out to battle. Now she had to do this on her own. Failure wasn’t an option.

Every thunderous flap of Prima’s wings covered the thunder of her own heartbeat.

* * *

Even with the Gloucester knights, they were only able to permanently keep one Demonic Beast down. Splitting up their numbers kept the other three at bay but it was clear that they overpowered them. Claude broke away for a second to survey the battle. Moving all units to deal with one beast would mean the others would recover and possibly break through the tree line. If they continued to divide themselves they would lose soldiers who didn’t need to be lost. If the Count was smart he would have asked Count Ordelia and Holst to come assist. But Count Ordelia would most likely not offer assistance with his newly armed soldiers.

As he calculated a few other possibilities, a battalion carrying a banner with the Crest of Goneril came from the tree line. They marched towards Lorenz, who noticed them as well and was now heading towards them. Claude swooped down to meet the battalion. The one leading the battalion put the banner down and bowed. “Duke Riegan we are the Goneril Valkyries. We have come to assist with the Demonic Beasts.”

“Goneril Valkyries?” That was a battalion he had never heard of. It wasn’t one House Goneril had registered in their documents. “Is Lord Holst here?”

The valkyrie shook her head. “No. Lord Holst will not be coming to assist.”

“Then who is-”

The roar of a wyvern broke through the sky. The valkyrie pointed up to the rider. Claude looked up to see the wyvern coming closer at an incredible speed. Before he could see who was riding the wyvern, it landed in front of the battalion causing the ground to shake. Hilda hopped off the wyvern and quickly pet its snout. “Thank you Prima.” The wyvern huffed before flying back into the air. Hilda unlatched Freikugel and turned to the closest Demonic Beast. “Valkyries lead with an assault! Split into two and cut the legs!”

“Yes ma’am!” The valkyries drew their axes and all turned to the Demonic Beast. In unison they charged towards the beast legs. Their swings moved together to slice through its thick, stocky legs. The beast let out a roar of pain and began to sway. Soon it’s body and head hit the ground unable to support itself from the cuts.

Hilda then took hold of Freikugel with two hands and ran straight for the beast's head. As she swung down, the unmistakable sound of its skull cracking echoed into the sky. In one swift movement she swung the axe back up taking it’s head clean off it’s body.

Claude felt his jaw drop open. From his side he could hear Lorenz audibly gasp. They had spent so much time trying to take down one yet Hilda had just killed one within seconds of appearing. Hilda turned to look at them as she hoisted Freikugel onto her left shoulder. She was covered in the beast's blood but didn’t seem bothered by it. “So what’s the plan Leader Man?”

For a second he couldn’t think. She was stealing any thoughts and ideas he had brewing in his mind. As Hilda looked over to him, Claude couldn’t help but gaze upon her as Freikugel glowed around her head. Claude cleared his throat in an attempt to snap his attention back to the two Demonic Beasts that were left. “Bunch the two remaining together. Once they are together I’ll shower them with arrows. Afterwards you two deal the blowing hits.” With Hilda here they could wrap the fight up. “Lorenz, go to the right and Hilda go to the left.” They both nodded at his directions. The two gathered their battalions and split off to round the beasts together.

The wyvern Hilda arrived with was circling around in the sky. Once it saw Hilda moving towards one of the beasts, it swooped down at the beast with it’s claws. Despite not having Hilda’s command it seemed to understand what the plan was. It viciously ripped at the beast with its fangs and claws. When Hilda began swinging, the wyvern backed off. It began to methodically swoop in to attack causing the beast to be pushed around by a creature only a fraction of its size.

Claude whistled for his battalion to fall back. The wyvern riders fell back to gather around him. He lifted his hand up signaling them to ready their bows. The sound of the archers knocking their arrows sang out. Hand picking members of his battalion was paying off. It might have been a year long process but it wasn’t in vain.

He waited for the beasts to be pushed up against each other. With one last push, Lorenz and Hilda brought the beasts back to back. “Bring them down to ashes and dust!” The battalion fired a storm of arrows. The shower pierced through the two beasts pinning them to the ground. In sweeping movements, Lorenz and Hilda took the final strike. Plunging his lance straight through its eyes and slicing her axe through its open jaw.

Everyone waited with bated breath for the beasts to move. After minutes of stillness there was a sigh of relief. Soldiers began moving to clean up the mess. Injured individuals could now be taken care of by the healers. Lorenz ordered for the Gloucester knights to quickly dispose of the bodies.

Claude hopped off his wyvern and made his way over to Hilda. She was talking to her battalion as he approached her. Truthfully he should be doing something else such as helping organize the clean up but his legs were moving on their own. From the way she pulled her pink hair back to the ridiculously cute pink and brown outfit she wore for the battle, Claude found himself being pulled in like a magnet.

The valkyries bowed and left to do their assigned job. Hilda latched Freikugel onto her back holster. He watched her shoulders drop as she sighed. “So when were you going to register your battalion?” This is only one of many questions he had for her. When she turned to look up at him, he forgot what else he was going to ask.

“Well I was going to head up to Derdriu with Holst after we helped Count Ordelia,” Hilda swayed back and forth on her heels. “But I guess I got a little distracted.”

Before Claude could give his retort, the wyvern she came with landed behind her causing him to jump. The wyvern let out a low growl as it leaned in towards him. Hilda gently put her hands around its jaw and pushed the wyvern back. “Prima stop that!” The wyvern snorted and laid down around her feet.

“And when did you learn to ride a wyvern?” Claude inspected the wyvern. If he was correct, the wyvern was quite large for its age and was built to be a solo hunter. It explained why Hilda rode the wyvern to the battle and not into it.

Hilda took a squat and scratched around its horns. “When this baby decided she wanted to stay instead of migrate.” The wyvern opened a single eye and huffed.

“Claude, Hilda.” Lorenz approached them and bowed. “Thank you for answering my call. The Gloucester knights alone would not have been successful.”

“Your call?” Claude raised a brow. “Were the express messengers not sent by your father?”

Lorenz shook his head. “For some reason he refused to ask for help. So I sent out messengers in secret.”

“What?” Hilda rose from petting her wyvern. “Did he think four Demonic Beasts could be stopped by just you?”

“I am not sure.” Doubt was storming his purple eyes. Claude held back from saying anything.

Hilda on the other hand didn’t. She scoffed and flipped her hair back. “He’s not even here to help.”

Lorenz just shook his head. “Anyways, you two should leave soon. I have told the knights who came with me to not inform my father of what transpired here. It would be best if you two leave and we finish cleaning up.”

Claude nodded, chewing on what he said. “If you say so Lorenz. I’ll trust your word.”

Without another word, the two took hold of each other's right forearm and shook hands before parting. Claude gathered his battalion and asked them to escort Hilda’s back to Derdriu. Hilda didn’t disapprove of his sudden request. Only telling the valkyries to follow the wyvern riders. Once the battalions were out of sight they got onto their wyverns. They took to the sky leaving the scene of the battle behind them.

* * *

In the air, Hilda let out a victorious holler. She threw hands up to feel the rush of wind brushing up against her. Prima shared in the delight as she roared to match her. She did it. She was going to Derdriu with success. “We did it Prima.” Hilda grabbed hold of the saddle horn again. “We did it.” Prima turned her head to look at her. “Yes we can go hunting soon.” Satisfied, she turned her head back to the lands looking for anything that would interest her.

Hilda looked over to her left to see Claude flying next to her. She knew why he had sent their battalions off without them. He had a handful of questions just running around in his mind. Of course he was going to try and use this moment to dig out her secrets. “So Lady Goneril. Mind explaining when you started riding a wyvern?”

She knew him all too well. “I told you already didn’t I?” She gently pat Prima’s neck. “She didn’t want to migrate so I decided to keep her in the aviary and learned to ride a wyvern.” Hilda thought it would only be fair to make him wait just a little longer. Afterall, he still had his secrets locked away. “And right now she will get grouchy if we don’t find any game to hunt.” She leaned over the saddle to speak to her stubborn wyvern. “Isn’t that right Prima?” Prima only snorted. “So Leader Man do you want to go hunting?”

Before Hilda could hear Claude’s answer, Prima suddenly began her descent. Hilda’s scream was covered by her wyvern’s cry as she dived to the lands below. This was usually no issue for Hilda but Goneril territory had mountains that allowed the wyvern to use the wind currents to her advantage. Gloucester territory had no such mountains.

Hilda could barely open her eyes from the wind slamming into her face. With any amount of strength she could gather, she began to unbuckle the leathers around her feet as quickly as possible. Through her squinted eyes the ground was coming closer and closer. She counted down from five hoping Prima would be able to steer herself. At one Hilda rolled off the saddle and tumbled onto the ground.

The world was spinning but she got out from Prima’s hunting wrath. Above she could hear Claude’s wyvern approaching. His laughter breaking through in between each flap of its wings. Hilda groaned as she attempted to stand up. She could still hear Claude laughing as the wyvern landed next to her. “I guess you still have a lot to learn about handling a wyvern.”

She could barely see him from her spinning vision but she was sure there was a smug smile sitting on his face. Hilda fell right back down on her bottom. She took hold of her head and closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the spinning. Letting out another groan before responding to his retort. “You just haven’t seen me ride her at Fodlan’s Locket.”

When she opened her eyes she was greeted by Claude’s outstretched hand. There was a soft deer-like smile gracing his face. Hilda smiled back and grasped his hand. Then he pulled her up onto the saddle. “Let’s go find your spoiled baby.” Hilda couldn’t help but laugh as she planted herself behind him. Claude looked over his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Ready?” Hilda nodded to answer.

The two took off into the sky searching for Prima. Hilda immediately noticed how much tamer Claude’s wyvern was. It wasn’t necessary to have her arms around him but she wanted to keep holding on. She couldn’t tell if it was from his puffy clothes or the build of his body, but keeping her arms around him felt comfortable. Almost familiar.

It didn’t take long to find Prima nor was it very difficult. The wyvern had already caught her meal and was resting by a small creek. They landed next to her as she ripped apart the boar she caught. Hilda huffed as she hopped off and stomped towards her. “Prima you would have still caught that boar without diving like that!” The wyvern lifted her golden eyes to blink at her then returned to her meal. Hilda crossed her arms with a groan. “You are such a piece of work.” That made Prima lift her head and nuzzle up against her. Hilda screeched as fresh blood coated her.

Claude began laughing again. “You didn’t seem to mind being covered in the beast's blood.”

Hilda quickly threw herself into the stream. She would dry off as they flew but for now she needed to get the blood off. “This is different! She did that on purpose!” First she doused her gloves with water. Once the gloves ran clear, she moved onto cleaning off the rest of the blood.

She could hear Claude getting off his wyvern and approaching Prima. Prima let out a low grumble as his footsteps neared her. “So your name is Prima?” The wyvern kept grumbling. Hilda turned to see Claude reaching out to her. After a bit of staring, Prima bumped her snout against his hand. Then promptly returning to her meal. “Does that mean you like me?” The wyvern ignored him.

Claude shrugged as if Prima was holding a conversation with him. Hilda returned her attention to cleaning her clothes. She saw Claude take a seat next to her from the corner of her eye. “It means she won’t bite you. For now.” The two smiled at each other for a second. “If she does like you she’ll start bothering you.”

“Like you?” That smug smile was on his face. Hilda scowled at him and flicked some water towards his face. Claude chuckled as he shielded himself from the droplets of water.

For a few minutes the only sounds around them were from the stream and Prima. A few birds chirped as they flew overhead. Just like the year before, she didn’t mind the silence. Hilda didn’t want to risk saying anything that would spill her secret work. She just had to wait until they returned to Derdriu for her to talk. Talk for hours and hours about what happened this past year.

When she determined she could clean no more of her clothes, she stood to her feet and stretched. “Prima are you done?” Hilda looked to see the carcass of the boar laying on the ground. The wyvern snorted and nudged the body over to her. Hilda grimaced at the smell. “I’ll eat when we get to Derdriu.” Prima seemed to scowl at the rejection. Just barely showing off her fangs. Hilda only rolled her eyes as her wyvern began to let out a low whine. “You baby! Don’t whine!” She walked over in her soaked clothes to mount her.

When she got back into the saddle she could see Claude had already gotten himself ready to take flight. “Ready?”

“Yup!” Hilda gently pushed her hair back as Prima began flapping her wings. “And this time I’ll show you just how good I am at riding a wyvern.”

As if Prima understood what the situation was, she raced off into the sky. Hilda found herself screaming once again as her wyvern sped off. There was no way she could hear anything else, but she swore she could hear Claude laughing from behind.

* * *

Claude hadn’t laughed like this in a long time. By the time they reached Derdriu his sides had cramped up. It was Hilda’s turn to make fun of him as he struggled to sit upright. When they landed he could barely get out of the saddle without his abdomen aching. He found himself lying on the grounds of the aviary trying to catch his breath.

Hilda was looking down at him as the last few giggles escaped his mouth. She looked less amused about the ordeal. “Are you done laughing at me Duke Riegan?” Her pink hair was a tangled mess.

Finally he hiccuped one last giggle. Claude held his breath for a few seconds then let out a long sigh. “I think I am.” He reached his arms up towards Hilda. She shook her head with a frown but still grasped his hands and pulled him up to his feet. “But you must admit Lady Goneril. It was quite amusing.”

“For you maybe.” Hilda shot a glare at her wyvern. The wyvern took one look at her and then yawned. “Well I’m going to take a bath.” Despite not knowing where to go, Hilda began to walk away from him. When she was a few steps ahead of him she turned around. “Duke Riegan, care to show me the way?”

“Why of course Lady Goneril.” Claude bowed and quickly realized it was a mistake. He couldn’t find the strength to straighten himself up. “After you help me.”

He could hear Hilda groan as she took a few steps over to him. “Maybe you shouldn’t have laughed so much.” She linked their arms together to pull him up from his bent position.

“My most humble apologies Lady Goneril.” This time he did not bow but still gave a sly smile. “Shall we have dinner to celebrate our victory against those Demonic Beasts after you bathe?”

Hilda lifted a brow. “Is this an excuse to eat more than you should?”

“Perhaps.” If Claude laughed now he would be bed ridden. “I am quite famished after watching you do all of that work.” Despite her eyes rolling, he caught a glimpse of joy dancing in her pink eyes.

The two walked down from the aviary back to the Riegan house. Claude showed her to the baths first. Hilda immediately went in without wanting to walk around until she emerged clean. So he decided to head to the kitchen and ask the chef for today’s dinner. Understandably the head chef shooed him away after she caught one whiff of him. Even scolding him about prioritizing a bath over curiosity of dinner after a battle.

After about an hour, they were both washed up sitting together in the dining hall. Hilda had asked some of the female servants for spare clothes. She sat in a simple white dress that was far too tight around certain parts of her body. The two talked for a while over dinner. When he asked her about anything related to her battalion and the battle, she would shrug it off. Her only words being that Holst was busy helping Count Ordelia and she was sent in his stead. Claude couldn’t help but pry to try and get past her half truths.

When she finished dinner, Hilda excused herself first. Leaving him to sit at the table by himself. He watched as her pink hair flowed behind her as she hurried out the room. Claude was going to get her answers one way or another.

* * *

Hilda awoke to the sun shining through the windows. She looked around the guest bedroom before getting up. Today was the day. Holst was going to arrive today along with Count Ordelia. Hilda thought she was going to burst last night. Claude kept asking her questions throughout dinner. All the answers to his questions were to things she couldn’t speak of yet. That was why she had to leave dinner as soon as possible. Unfortunately she didn’t have her diary with her. Instead she wrote on random pieces of papers the servants gave her. If she didn’t write it down she was going to drive herself mad.

The morning was spent getting ready. She unfortunately didn’t have any other clothes with her. Fortunately the outfit she did have was practical and still cute. Holst didn’t make a comment on her battle attire since he was as equally extravagant with the pinks. They truly were siblings.

By the afternoon sun, Hilda had finished skipping around the Riegan house. Eventually she asked the servants where Claude was and they happily escorted her to his office. Hilda gently knocked against the door. “It’s me!” As if she were still at Garreg Mach, she opened the doors before hearing his response.

The first thing she noticed was that his office was an absolute mess. She nearly fainted at how vastly different it looked compared to Holst’s neatly organized office. Claude was standing by a shelf with a large book in hand. He lifted his head from the book to look over at her. “Oh hey Hilda.”

“Do you not let the servants at least put some of the books away?” She gingerly stepped around the loose papers and stacks of books. It was the same here and there. He was a mess.

“I like to call this an organized mess.” Claude closed the book he was reading with a loud clap. “If they clean it up I won’t know where things are.”

Hilda scrunched her face up as she scanned the room. Mumbling under her breath, “You are unbearable…”

“It adds to my charm.” There was that stupid smile she missed over the past year. Hilda could only sigh at him. “So what brings you here?”

“Well you promised if I come visit you in Derdriu you would take me shopping.” Hilda couldn’t even remember when they had this conversation. All she could remember was that she was sure he was joking about emptying the markets for her. Claude also seemed to be trying to recall the memory. He looked at her puzzled by it. “Plus I need new clothes. I don’t want to wear my battle outfit all day long.” Compared to him she was overdressed. He wasn’t wearing his golden outfit with the long flowing cape from yesterday. Instead he was dressed in the most plain set of clothes she had ever seen. Yet she found her eyes gazing at how tight the waist high pants hugged his body.

“Battle outfit?” Holst may not have said anything but Claude certainly was. Not necessarily with words but more so with his eyes. That part of him hadn’t changed one bit.

Hilda rocked back and forth on her heels. Purposely dipping forward a little more than usual. “What’s the point if I don’t look cute while battling?” Claude’s eyes eventually darted away from her. She couldn’t help but smirk. “Besides, this isn’t even as extravagant as past Goneril’s battle outfits.” This was true. When designing her outfit she looked at past paintings of Goneril’s from before. They were all truly stunning and loud in every possible way.

“So it runs in the family.” Claude stepped over to his desk and grabbed something. Before she could see what it was, he slipped it into his pocket. “Well I guess I better keep my promise to you Lady Goneril.”

“Good!” Hilda swooped her arm under his, linking them together. She knew she was practically beaming with delight. There was a glimpse of Claude sharing the feeling.

Arm in arm they walked out to the busy streets of Derdriu. Every time she came to visit the city seemed to change. Some street vendors would move around to different locations. Some seemed to vanish while new ones popped up. The permanent shops always had new stock every time she looked. It was exciting compared to the mountainous Goneril territory. Their largest city paled in comparison.

Hilda kept catching glimpses of the people staring at them. Rather than disgust, they were filled with curiosity. Claude had mentioned being used to it but she wondered if he noticed the change. As usual he kept his eyes forward without a ripple in his neutrality.

The first thing she did was buy clothes that fit her. As grateful as she was that the servants gave her spare clothes, they didn’t fit her. One of the shops graciously let her change into the new dress she bought. The woman at the counter carefully folded up her clothes into a bag while she changed.

Then they ate lunch together. She had always loved the open market on the port. Eating one dish while looking at another was always so interesting. The vendors never sold in amounts more than just a few bites allowing people to eat their fill with a multitude of flavors. She briefly mentioned bringing Raphael to the market. Claude laughed remarking that he would eat everyone’s stock.

At some point she ended up dragging Claude all around the streets as she hopped from one shop to another. Even when she placed another box into his arms to carry, he didn’t seem bothered by it. “Am I to carry your things now?”

Hilda dramatically sighed. “You know I’m still a delicate flower. Carrying all of that would take a toll on me!” She said that as if he hadn’t watched her crack the skull of a Demonic Beast just the day before. Claude squinted at her as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Lady Goneril.” Hilda jumped at the soft voice. She turned around to see one of the Riegan servants bowing. “I am here to inform you that Duke Goneril has arrived and-”

“Holst is here?” Her heart was suddenly racing. He surely heard of the news by now.

“Yes. He is currently at the governmental squ-”

Hilda whipped her head around to Claude. “I’ll meet you back home, take my stuff back!” She plopped the bag she was carrying on top of the pile of boxes in his arms.

“Wait what?”

She was already running off to the governmental square. All the work she had put into this past year. It was going to pay off. So she ran and ran all the way up the hill in her heels.

* * *

Claude stood stunned in the street. Hilda always complained about writing letters to Holst. It’s not like she was away from him for very long either. Now he had several boxes and a bag to bring back to the house. Although the thing that stunned him the most was the way Hilda said home. One usually said that if they actually lived in said place.

The servant who had come to deliver the news slowly reached her arms out. “Uh… Duke Riegan would you like me to help you?”

“Um… Maybe just carry the bag.” The boxes were fine but he didn’t want the bag to fall. It would mean they would have to clean Hilda’s ridiculously cute battle outfit again.

The servant nodded and gingerly took the bag from the pile.

They silently walked back to the estate. He hated how it already felt so empty without Hilda by his side.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set over the city. Hilda wasn’t out of breath but her feet began to hurt. Sprinting off in heels without much thought wasn’t the best idea but she couldn’t help it. She was so close. So close to putting together the final touches.

As the governmental square came into view, so did Holst. His pink hair making him stick out like a sore thumb against the greenery. Hilda sprinted off towards him. “Holst!” When she was just a few steps away from him, Hilda lunged at him to wrap him in the biggest hug she could give. Even with all of her might she wasn’t able to get him off balance. “I did it!”

Holst’s boisterous laugh rang in her ears. He almost crushed her under the weight of his hug. “I heard the news on our way here!” After one last squeeze, he finally put her back on the ground. Hilda looked up at him to see him practically glowing. “Well I think you’re more than ready now. What do you think?”

Hilda straightened herself up. “I’m ready.” Their smiles grew together knowing what was going to happen next.

They just needed the approval from one more person.

* * *

Claude waited on the balcony that looked over the city. For some odd reason he didn’t want to start dinner without Hilda. Well he knew the reason why he didn’t want to eat without her. But maybe if he pretended he didn’t know, he could avoid the reality of her leaving after this Roundtable meeting. He hated feeling this desperate for just a glimpse of companionship.

Two pink heads of hair popped into his vision. Holst and Hilda were walking arm in arm up to the estate. Claude closed his eyes and counted down from ten. In ten seconds he would go down and greet them. Invite them to dinner and continue the rest of the week filling his cravings until the next time they met.

* * *

When Hilda and Holst looked up to the entrance of the Riegan house, they saw Claude leaning against the doors. He gave a little wave towards them. “I was wondering when you two would show up.” As they got closer, he stood upright and placed his hands into his pockets. “I thought I would waste away from hunger.”

She almost went over to nudge him but remembered Holst was still here. “You look fine to me.”

That made Claude suddenly clutch his stomach and stagger. “Oh no! I won’t be able to make it to the dining hall.”

Now she was rolling her eyes. Hilda tugged on Holst’s arm to have him follow her. “Come on Holst we can leave Duke Riegan here.”

“Wait! Don’t leave me!” She could hear him jogging to catch up to them.

Hilda looked up to see Holst questioning her with his raised brow. He had probably never seen Claude act like this. Before she could answer him, Claude appeared on the other side of Holst. The two began catching up on things that didn’t involve the war.

Just a little longer. She just had to wait for dinner to end.

* * *

Having two guests over for dinner made things far more lively in the house. Claude was going to take in as much of it possible before it slipped past his fingers. It was a good thing Holst enjoyed conversing so much. Eventually Claude asked him about the Demonic Beasts. Just like in Hilda’s story, he said he was busy helping Count Ordelia and had sent her in his stead. Their stories matched up. Perhaps she wasn’t telling half truths.

Then why did he feel like she was keeping something away from him?

It was nagging at him all day long. He knew if he kept asking it wouldn’t get him any new answers. With Holst also telling the same story it only irked him more. Claude did his best to push the feeling down. He wanted to focus on enjoying dinner. It would be a while before he would have guests again.

Dinner was finished but they continued to talk for a couple of hours. When it became late Claude escorted them to the entrance. He was still talking with Holst while Hilda stayed a few steps behind. He looked from the corner of his eye to see her looking up around the halls and ceiling.

“Oh before I forget.” They had reached the doors. Holst turned his back to the door to face him. “Are you still without a retainer?”

This question again. Claude nodded with a sigh. Even if Holst meant well, it didn’t lessen how annoying it was to hear the question for the umpteenth time. “I haven’t had the time to really choose one.” Ending the night like this wasn’t ideal. Why did he even ask that question?

Holst nodded at the answer. “I see… Then may I make a proposal?”

“A proposal?” Where in Fodlan’s goddess’s name was this going?

Hilda had now caught up to them and placed herself next to Holst. Before the light could go off in his mind, Holst spoke. “Hilda Valentine Goneril will become your retainer again.”

Claude felt his heart stop. When his eyes darted over to her, he could see her beaming as bright as Freikugel. He opened his mouth to ask if they were joking. Once again before anything could come out, Hilda spoke. “That is if you accept the proposal Duke Riegan.”

Hilda was willingly placing herself as his retainer. No. She was  _ asking _ to be his retainer again.

At this point Hilda would have to be held responsible if his heart ever stopped from shock. He always had something to say for any situation. But not with her. She destroyed any words he could possibly have.

This time he really had nothing to say before Holst began speaking again. “If you need time to think it over we can wait for your answer.”

Claude didn’t need to think about it. The answer was painfully easy. What he needed was to know exactly what in the world was happening. Hilda hated work. She hated responsibility. She hated not being able to meet expectations. She had spent so much time talking about going back home to continue living a life with a wealth of free time. So what had happened to make her change her mind?

There was only one way to get the answers he so desperately needed. “Well,” Hilda’s smile was infectious. He could feel his lips turning up to break his face. “How could I turn down a proposal from my favorite person?”

Hilda’s face began to break as well. She didn’t bear the usual smile she gave out. Her pink eyes began twinkle under the lights of the hall.

Just like two years ago Hilda was becoming his retainer. Only this time he was looking forward to having one.

Looking forward to having Hilda by his side again.

* * *

Hilda waited in the foyer of the Riegan house. Today was the Roundtable meeting. Holst was already at the parliament hall. She was still waiting for Claude to appear. The servants of the house quickly invited her in. One of them took off to tell Claude that she had arrived. It’s not like he needed an escort but Hilda figured she could do her job as retainer properly this time around.

After all, she had spent the past year preparing for this responsibility.

“Well Lady Goneril.” Claude emerged from down the hall. “Are you trying to make me look bad by arriving early?”

Hilda looked up to see him being rushed by a servant. He fumbled buttoning his jacket up. “Well Duke Riegan I will have you know that I was right on time. You are the one who is late.”

“Is that so?” Claude finally finished buttoning his jacket. “Would you say I was worth the wait?”

She couldn’t help snorting at his words. Hilda wasn’t going to admit that he was worth the wait. A wait that was a year long. All she did was link their arms together and give a playful scowl. “I wouldn’t have to wait if you were on time.”

“My deepest apologies Lady Goneril.” He couldn’t finish saying that without breaking into a chuckle. “How shall I make this up to you?”

“By being on time.” Hilda gave the most smug smile she could. Claude returned it.

Yes the wait truly was worth it. And this time she was looking forward to this responsibility.

Looking forward to having Claude by her side again.

* * *

After the Roundtable meeting Hilda went back home to pack her belongings. Claude didn’t loathe the farewell this time. He knew she would be back. Back to be by his side.

In the meantime he would take this time to wrap up loose ends. He wanted to avoid any leftover work for when Hilda returned. He was planning on keeping his schedule open to spend a wealth of time with her.

Claude reviewed a note from one of the spies he had sent out. The news wasn’t particularly alarming. It was honestly unexciting. But that wasn’t what bothered him. He took a seat at his desk and mulled over the note. Then he grabbed a blank paper and his fountain pen. Perhaps it was time to write that letter. He hadn’t used this option because he felt it was lofty. There was a risk to sending this letter but he needed to take it.

Once he finished writing, he fanned the paper so the ink could dry. After he checked if it would smudge, he rolled it up. Tying it together with a red string. Claude hid the letter in his jacket pocket and made his way out of his office. He quickly told a servant who was passing by that he would be back later today. The servant simply bowed.

With that he went off to drop the letter off. He just hoped it would reach its destination.

* * *

Just like two years ago Hilda had packed a caravan full of her stuff. With her battalion following her to Derdriu, it was three times the size. The trip was going to take more than two days with their size. Even when she left behind half of her belongings, she still took up three wagons just for herself.

Prima flew around over the caravan. Hilda decided to let her roam the skies as she led her battalion to Derdriu. Even when she would go off somewhere else, the wyvern always came back to guard them.

After days of travel they finally reached Derdriu. Servants of House Riegan eagerly helped them settle down at the estate. Hilda saw her battalion off as a few servants led them to the barracks.

The head of servants bowed to her. “Lady Goneril we have a few options for you if you would like to take a loo-”

“May I take the empty room on the third floor that faces the garden? The one with the balcony.” Hilda already made up her mind on where she was going to stay. She didn’t skip around the Riegan house just for fun the other day. No other room was going to suit her.

The head blinked at her. Then smiled. “Of course Lady Goneril. We will take your stuff up right away.” The head bowed and left to get the other servants.

Hilda grabbed a small box from the wagons. This one in particular needed to be handled by herself. She headed into the house up to her new room. It wasn’t as large as her room back home but it didn’t matter. It had just enough space and a lovely balcony looking out to the garden. Hilda placed the box on her bed and quickly opened it up. On the top laid the small box holding Claude’s perfume. She carefully picked the box up and put it on her new desk. Then she opened the box to inspect the bottle. It was unharmed. Hilda let out a sigh of relief. Now she could focus on moving the rest of her belongings.

As she stepped out of her room a carefree voice called out to her. “So is this your room Lady Goneril?” Claude was coming from down the hall.

“Of course it is.” Hilda met him in the middle of the hall. “Is there a problem Duke Riegan?”

Claude raised a brow. “How convenient that our rooms are next to each other.”

“Oh? Really? I had no idea!” She rocked back and forth on her heels. Of course she already knew that. One overly eager servant had told her where his room was when she skipped around the house. “I guess we’ll just be seeing alot of each other.”

“I guess we will.” He was returning her smug smile. “Does this delicate flower need help with unpacking?”

“Oh Claude you don’t have to help me but if you’re offering to lend me a hand,” Hilda twirled a bit of her hair around her fingers. “I won’t turn it down. Plus when we finish we can have a cup of tea on the balcony.”

“Well that sounds lovely.” After Claude put his jacket away, the two went downstairs to unload the wagons.

Most of the servants tried to stop them but they continued working despite their pleas. In return the servants told the two that they would bring dinner up to their rooms. Hilda happily accepted it. She wanted to spend the night talking with Claude. Until the sun set they moved boxes and trunks into her room. They didn’t get a chance to unpack anything when one of the servants announced dinner would be coming up soon. Hilda went down to the kitchen to brew a pot of tea. Once again, the servants tried to do the work but she refused the help. This was something she needed to do herself.

When the tea finished brewing, dinner was finished being put together. Hilda walked with two other servants back to her room. They were happily conversing with her explaining that they were all so relieved to see Claude finally have a retainer. Even more so that the retainer was going to be her. The doors to her room were propped open with a box. The servants' faces gave away their shock when they saw Claude still in her room. They dropped off dinner and quickly shuffled away.

Alone, the two closed the doors to her room and began to eat dinner. At first they just talked about random things. Then he asked the question that was most definitely plaguing his mind. “So Hilda, care to explain why you’re my retainer? I thought you hated work.”

Finally. Finally she could tell him. So she began telling him everything that happened this past year. From the grueling training to the hours she spent learning about managing the house and lands. How Holst relentlessly kept her on her toes through quizzes and tests. Explaining how she knew he was without a retainer through Holst after each Roundtable meeting. Hours were spent on her just pouring out everything that had welled up. Claude listened to every word that came out of her mouth. The only thing she couldn’t explain was how she felt. She had missed him this past year. Missed him beyond words. But she was already sounding so desperate with all the work she had done to become his retainer. Perhaps another day she could tell him. For now her throat was parched from all the talking. Even the tea didn’t help her poor throat.

Claude chuckled as her voice cracked. “If you keep talking you won’t have a voice.” Hilda croaked as she tried to protest. Upon hearing just how hoarse her voice was, she kept her mouth shut. That only made him snort. Claude began to gather the dishware and placed a now empty tray underneath the full one. “Since you brewed the last pot of tea, I’ll get you a fresh pot for your voice.”

She couldn’t say anything back. Not from being emotionally held back but from being physically ailed. As Claude began to leave her room, she got up from her seat to follow behind. For a second she hesitated. Then as he opened the doors Hilda threw her arms around him, hugging him from behind. It was an odd blessing she couldn’t say anything. After a few seconds she let go and pushed him out of her room. She shut the doors with her back and slid down onto the floor.

Perhaps that would do the job for her lack of words.

* * *

Claude almost dropped the tray. Not from being pushed out the door but from being hugged. He took a second to steady himself before heading to the kitchen. Looking around he could tell it was late. The lack of servants roaming the halls meant that even they had gone to bed.

He had let Hilda talk the entire time. Not only to finally get the answers he so desperately wanted but to just listen to her. He didn’t have much to say anyways. At least he didn’t have anything to say that wouldn’t reveal what he was feeling. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to tell her but he wasn’t even sure himself what it was. In the meantime he would just get her a new pot of tea.

Perhaps he could figure it out down the road.

* * *

The golden shahbaz let out a screech. A loud, high pitched whistle called to it. It circled around a few times before landing on its post. One talon clutched at the rolled piece of paper tied with a red string. “Why thank you Zer.” The large bird let out a squawk towards the young woman as she took the paper. She chuckled and produced a handful of raisins from a pouch. “Yes I do suppose a treat would be good for you.” The bird quickly pecked at the raisins.

“What is it?” A man’s voice entered the yard alongside his footsteps. He made his way over to the young woman who was now reading the paper.

“It appears to be a letter addressed to you.”

“And you’re reading it?” The man plucked the papers from her hands. “Who taught you these manners?”

The young woman chuckled. “Last time I checked you were the one who trained me.” She gave an easy, one sided smile as her eyes curved into crescent moons. “I only read that it was addressed to you. Although you are becoming quite old so if you need me to read it, I will gladly do so.”

The man let out a hearty laugh. “I may be getting old but I can still read a letter by myself.” He quickly read the letter then a long sigh escaped his mouth.

“What is it?”

“Seems like I’m being called over for a trip.” He scratched his bushy beard, mulling over the contents of the letter.

“A trip?” The young woman tilted her head to the side. “To where?”

The man looked out towards the west. “Seems like the kiddo needs my help.”

The young woman turned her head out to the vast desert on the left. “Is that so?” She wasn’t looking at the desert but to the land beyond.

Looking towards Fodlan.


	20. Bonus Chapter - The Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone reading this
> 
> Thanks for joining me on this hilclaude journey. If you couldn't tell by now but from here on out the story will have a lot of original content. I need time to plan out and write what will come next. I actually spent months planning and writing this first part of their journey before publishing it. I've already planned out most of the stuff for the upcoming chapters and I'm excited and dreading the writing and publishing.
> 
> So I need a tiny break to figure things out. I don't want to speradicly update this fic with the format I took up. Waiting for Sundays and Wednesdays was already brutal enough.
> 
> In the mean time enjoy this little bonus chapter of the ball. These are just some ideas I had but couldn't fit them into the story because 1. it didn't work with the pacing and 2. it had other character perspectives that aren't super important. This is really just for fun while you wait for me to figure out what I'm gonna write.
> 
> If you wanna see my dumb ramblings I have a twitter under the same handle.
> 
> Thanks again for reading and see you all in the next update!

**Fashionably early**

All the girls were finally ready. After they finished putting on their makeup and fixing their hair, they each helped each other get into their evening dresses. For some reason Hapi and Constance left the group before they went to the ball.

They had thought they would be late but when they arrived only a handful of students were in the reception hall. “Wait, we're early?!” Hilda was expecting to be fashionably late. It was far more interesting to be late than early.

“Well it is good that we have arrived before the others.” Edelgard made her way out of the group. “It is important that one keeps appointed times-”

Before she could finish, the doors at the other end burst open. Sylvain walked in first with some of the boys behind him. “Hello ladies! Sorry we’re late we were-” His face dropped upon seeing the basically empty hall.

Dorothea failed to hold back her snort.

Ferdinand popped out from the group with a grin. “Oh we are not late! You know it is important that one keeps appointed times-” Before he could finish the group of boys dispersed. “Wait I was not done explaining the importance of-”

Everyone tuned out the noble as they broke apart into smaller groups. The groups began to converse as more students made their way into the hall.

The ones who were truly late were the Ashen Wolves. Constance entered with gusto announcing their arrival. It seems the four of them planned on being as late as possible.

**Tables**

Bernadetta did her best to hide away from the crowds. She was doing a pretty good job too until the dancing started. The middle of the hall cleared out pushing everyone to the edges of the room. She found herself trapped as more people made their way to her little corner.

So she began weaving in and out between bodies hoping to find a place free of people. Eventually she made her way over to where the tables were. They were covered with tablecloths. Bernadetta didn’t want to do this but she had no other choice. She got down on all fours and crawled under the tables.

“Oh hey Bernie bear.” Hapi was looking at her.

Bernadetta covered her mouth to keep her scream from escaping. If she screamed people would find her. “W-w-w-w-w-what are you doing here?”

Hapi shrugged. “I got bored and I don’t care for dancing. It’s too loud so I decided to hide under this table.” She reached her arm out from under the table cloth. After a few seconds she brought her arm back in with a handful of pastries. “Plus this is the snack table.” Hapi handed a pastry off to her.

There was a wave of relief going over Bernadetta’s head. She took the pastry and bit into it. At least she wasn’t the only one hiding under a table.

Before the peace could last, the tablecloth suddenly lifted. “Really?” Yuri was now looking at them. This time Bernadetta let out a tiny screech. “Hiding under the table?”

Hapi nodded. “Come on Yuri-bird.” She waved a pastry in front of him. “Don’t you want to join?”

Yuri sighed and took the pastry. “If I join you, will you leave the table after I finish this pastry?”

Hapi shrugged. “Maybe.”

Yuri just squinted. “I suppose that’s good enough.” He situated himself between Hapi and Bernadetta.

They were silently sitting together eating their pastries. After a few more bites Hapi turned to Yuri. “You’re avoiding Coco aren’t you?”

“Yup.”

From outside the table they could hear Constance’s voice calling out for him. “Yuri! You dastard! You promised me a dance!”

Bernadetta couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing Yuri cower under a table wasn’t an image she had. Yuri shot a look at her. “Amused?”

“Eep!” She buried her face into her lap. The three sat under the table for a while longer before emerging. Bernadetta did her best to keep her nerves calm.

**Food**

The food at the ball was immense. It was also much tastier than what the monastery usually served. Raphael was gorging on everything that was available.

As he went back for another plate of food, Caspar rushed over to land next to him. “Yes! Finally!” He grabbed a plate ready to fill it up.

“Caspar! Have you tried the food yet?”

Caspar shook his head. “Edelgard made everyone from the Black Eagle house dance with at least one person. I tried to sneak away before but Hubert caught me.”

The chef at the table sighed at the two. She began to fill their plates with whatever was available.

“Oh this looks great!” The two looked up to see Ashe and Ignatz now looking at the table. “I wonder if it’s any different from what we usually eat.” Ashe picked up a plate and patiently waited as Raphael’s plate was filled.

Ignatz avoided eye contact with Raphael as he looked over to him and Caspar. “I see you two are already getting your fill.”

“You know it!” Caspar slung an arm around Ashe. “Come on even during the ball we gotta keep our stomachs full!”

Ashe crumbled a bit under Caspar’s arm. “Don’t eat too much! You’re going to cramp up.”

Suddenly Ingrid came over skidding to a halt. “Oh this all looks so good!” She picked up a plate, practically drooling at the sight of the food.

“Oh there is a line.” The five turned around to look up at Dedue. “I will wait.”

“Dedue I thought you were going to keep on eye on his highness.” Ashe was still locked under Caspar’s arm.

Dedue gave a single nod. “I was but he has only been dancing. I decided to give the food here a try.”

The chef cleared her throat. They turned to see that she finished filling Raphael and Caspar’s plates. There was visible agitation on her face. The two took their plates and she began to randomly place food onto Ashe’s and Ignatz’s plates. They didn’t have a chance to tell her what they wanted as she handed their plates back. Then she did the same for Ingrid’s and Dedue’s plate.

The six walked back to a table with plates piled high with food. Ignatz sighed. “I… can’t possibly eat all of this…”

Ashe gulped. “Me too…”

“That just means more for me!” Raphael didn’t wait another second to begin gorging.

So the others began to eat as well. Only three of them talked about the flavors of the food. The other three simply devoured what was on their plates.

**Grumpy**

Hilda huffed as she stomped over to Balthus. “Baltie! Stop scaring everyone!” She really didn’t want to have this conversation but he was ruining her fun. “Just let me dance!”

Balthus just frowned. “But!”

“No buts!” She crossed her arms, glaring up at him. “If you keep on ruining my fun I’m going to tell Holst!”

Upon hearing that, the towering hulk got on his knees. “Please don’t tell Holst!”

“Then stop scaring the boys who want to dance with me!” Hilda pushed his head and stormed off.

As she walked back to the crowd, she caught Annette nervously standing at the edge of the dance floor. She was looking around for someone. Hilda scurried over and grabbed her hand. “Come on let’s dance!”

“What?!” Annette stuttered a bit as Hilda began to take her around the dance floor.

“If you dance with me first you won’t be as nervous!” From the other side she could see Sylvain dragging Felix out to the floor. Hilda made sure her steps made it’s way over to the two. It worked with Lorenz so this had to work again.

When she got close enough, she turned to Sylvain. “Oh hey Sylvain!”

Sylvain gave a feline smile. “Hey Hilda! Wanna dance?”

The two pushed Felix and Annette together and they waltzed away. From a distance they watched as the two awkwardly stood together. Sylvain sighed. “Damn I thought that would work.”

Hilda shook her head. She did her best. “I was so sure Annette wanted to dance with Felix.”

“Well I guess we’ll just have to dance.” Sylvain winked at her.

“I guess so.” As she spun around she caught Balthus glaring at the redhead. Not that she disliked Sylvain but this was too good of an opportunity. “You know I am parched from all this dancing. Care to get me a glass of punch?”

She knew Sylvain could see what she was doing. But he was also a desperate puppy. “Why of course.” He stepped away with a bow and headed to the punch bowl.

Hilda couldn’t cover her giggling as Balthus shook him up.

**My Lady**

Lorenz slid up to Sylvain who was gripping a cup full of punch. He produced the most smug look he could before speaking. “A real ladies man you are.” Of course he saw Balthus shake him up and needed to use this moment against him.

Sylvain scoffed. “And how many ladies willingly danced with you?”

Unfortunately for him the redhead had eyes like a hawk. Lorenz did his best to keep his composure. “I could ask the same for you!”

“Ah Lorenz, Sylvain! How goes your night?” Ferdinand had now joined them. The two turned to give him a knowing glare. The noble looked back with wide eyes then sighed. “Do you think it is truly hopeless for me to have a dance with Dorothea?”

This made Sylvain snort. “Why are you trying so hard with Dorothea? She clearly hates you.”

“Well…” Ferdinand placed a hand under his chin. “I just feel like we can come to some kind of mutual understanding and-”

“And I say you should give up.” Sylvain said that as he drank his punch.

“Why hello there you three.” Mercedes' sweet voice entered their proximity. “How goes the dancing?”

They knew she asked that innocently but it didn’t stop them from feeling the blunt end of the question. Sylvain cut in before anyone could respond. “Why hello there Mercedes. You’re looking divine as usual.” Lorenz rolled his eyes.

To his shock Mercedes giggled. “Why thank you Sylvain.”

“Just having you here brightens my mood.” Sylvain kept throwing more of his lackluster compliments.

“Oh I’m so glad to hear that!” Mercedes then reached her left hand out. “Would you care to have a dance with me then?”

Lorenz and Ferdinand watched wide eyed. Sylvain took her hand and bowed. “Why of course.” The two began to walk out to the dance floor. Sylvain turned around and gave an extremely crude gesture. Lorenz gasped as he placed a hand on his chest.

“Oh it’s you two.” Dorothea was now standing before them. “Could you move? I want some punch.”

“Ah Dorothea!” Ferdinand perked up. “Let me get a cup for you!”

Dorothea sighed. “Well I suppose you could get me a cup seeing that you are blocking them.”

That made the noble turn around in embarrassment. He quickly grabbed a cup and filled it with punch. “Here you go!” With two hands he placed the cup into her hands.

For some reason that made her chuckle. Dorothea took a sip of the punch as she shook her head. “Would one dance satisfy you Ferdie?”

“Well no you don’t have to if you do not want to.” He was stumbling over his words. “If you do not wish to dance with me I will respect that and-”

Dorothea finished the punch and put the cup with all the other used ones. She grabbed Ferdinand’s hand and dragged him out to the dance floor.

Lorenz stood alone with his mouth hanging open. He was the only one left.

“Hey you.” He turned to see Leonie making her way over to the punch bowl. “Can you grab a few cups of punch?” She quickly grabbed six cups and set them on the table.

“Whatever for?” Lorenz watched as she filled each cup with the ladle.

Leonie shook her head with a sigh. “I just watched Raphael, Caspar, Ingrid, Ashe, Ignatz, and Dedue eat plates full of food without a drink. I’m going to give them this punch to help them.”

It’s not like Lorenz had anything better to do. “I suppose I could help.”

Despite her asking him for help, Leonie looked at him with confusion. He grabbed three of the cups and began to slowly make his way over to the table where the six were feasting. This wasn’t the worst thing to have happened to him.

**How to dance**

Petra watched everyone who was dancing. She could not figure out the way they were dancing. It looked simple but that was because they were all used to this style. It was vastly different from Brigid’s way of dancing.

“Are you still studying them?” Linhardt suddenly appeared next to her.

“Yes. I am having difficulty learning this way.” Petra couldn’t keep up with so many people dancing. Eventually she caught Dorothea and Ferdinand dancing. She began to concentrate on the two.

Linhardt yawned. “Theoretically I know how to dance but I don’t care to try it.”

Keeping her eyes on the two, Petra asked him, “How do you… Theoretically dance?”

“Well…” Linhardt very quickly explained it. The basics were called the box step. Petra nodded at the new information. “There is more to it but as long as you can do the box step, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Oh are you discussing the steps to dancing?” Lysithea approached them. “Being able to theoretically dance isn’t enough.”

“Oh? Have you mastered dancing?” Linhardt looked over to her with eyes half open.

Lysithea blushed a little. “Well-”

“Then let us dance!” Petra took hold of her hands. “You may teach me the art of dancing!”

“Well of course I will!” Lysithea turned her nose up a bit.

The two stood at the edge of the dance floor slowly going through the motions. Petra did her best to follow along. After a few minutes they were doing the basic box step. Lysithea seemed to puff up with pride at the end of the lesson.

**Critique**

Claude slid over to Edelgard. “Why hello there princess.”

Edelgard lifted a brow. “Hello there Claude. What brings you here?”

“Questioning me already?” He shook his head. “Dimitri declined my offer to dance. Care to dance with me?” He lifted his hand up to her.

“I suppose this will be a good opportunity to see your skills.” She took his hand and bowed.

“Are you always evaluating people?” Claude guided her out to the dance floor and bowed.

“Would you not agree that one must know their opponent in order to gain the upper hand?”

Claude held back his snort. “I did not realize dancing in Fodlan could be so dangerous.”

As he finished that sentence, he tripped over her feet. Edelgard quickly adjusted her footing to keep them from falling. “With your dancing, it is dangerous.”

“Ouch. Are you saying my dancing is bad?”

“Yes.” Her perfectly poised face shifted into something mischievous. “It is horrendous.”

From his left, Claude could hear someone laughing. He looked over to see Yuri approaching them. “This is truly a sight to behold.” He waved Edelgard away and took her place. “My turn to judge your skills.” Yuri led them around for a bit before stopping. “For someone so quick on his feet, you really have no clue how to use them for a basic box step.”

Claude was no longer having fun. He didn’t think he was going to be attacked like this. “Yes thank you very much for the critique.” He didn’t bother hiding his annoyance.

“You’re welcome.” Yuri bowed and left the floor. From the edge of the floor he could see Edelgard covering her face. He could still see her shoulders betraying her laughter.

**Unworthy**

Hubert kept a close eye on Edelgard. He didn’t care to indulge in the other festivities. So far everything was in the clear. The hall was becoming emptier as the night continued. Eventually he watched as Edelgard began to make her way out of the hall. Of course he followed behind her.

Outside, Edelgard huffed and turned around. “Hubert I assure you I will be fine. I’m just getting a breath of fresh air.”

Hubert bowed. “Of course Lady Edelgard.”

“I will be back in a few minutes. Please, go enjoy the ball.”

Without another word, Hubert headed back inside. He wasn’t going to actually go back in but he needed Edelgard to think that. From the sliver of the doors, he watched as she headed off towards the Cathedral. Hubert waited until she was far away enough before stepping back out.

From his distance he watched as her white hair shined under the moon. Edelgard was headed towards the Goddess Tower. When he looked up he could see professor Byleth was standing up there looking out of the window.

So she had followed the professor.

Hubert shook his head and went back to the ball. Only time would tell where his allegiance lay.

**Doing it**

Drinking the first cup of wine so quickly was a mistake. Wine was definitely supposed to be something you sipped on as you ate and talked. But Hilda had already done the deed. By the third cup she was sure she was drunk.

The four nobles eventually began debating about something she didn’t care about. So she turned to Dorothea and whispered, “So why are you here? I thought you hated Sylvain.”

Dorothea nodded and whispered back. “Yes but I’m not going to pass up on free wine. Especially wine from nobles. I could never afford something like this.”

Hilda could understand that. Again, she didn’t judge Dorothea. Afterall, she would always try to get free labor from the boys around the monastery. But that didn’t seem like the whole truth. “Be honest… Have you and Sylvain-”

Dorothea scoffed. “What? Never.” Hilda squinted at her. She was lying. The longer she stared at Dorothea the more she began to crack. She let out a huff and began mumbling with murderous intent. “Do not tell anyone.”

“I mean… Who have you not done it with?” Once again, Hilda didn’t really judge her. She just wanted to know.

“There are plenty of people who I have avoided doing-”

The room suddenly became quiet. Hilda looked over to see the four nobles now staring at them. Sylvain in particular was smiling. “No please continue.”

Dorothea picked up the pillow and threw it at him. They screamed as the wine spilled all over his jacket.

**Licorice**

The room was full now. After several more cups of wine, people began delving into their secrets. Most of them were extremely funny.

Constance was now taking the floor as she waved the teacup around. “The other day Yuri told me that I would have to lick the boots of nobles. But when I licked a boot I realized how awful they tasted. So I used my magical prowess to turn a boot into licorice! And it worked!” She began to laugh in her triumph. Others in the room did their best to hold back their own laughter.

“Wait…” Lorenz turned to face Constance. “Is that why one of my boots went missing?”

Constance stopped laughing. She sat wide eyed realizing her mistake. “Oh ho do pray tell about this missing boot of yours!”

“You turned my boot into licorice?!”

Now the room erupted into laughter as the two began bickering. Lorenz went on and on about how those boots were from a skilled artisan while Constance yelled about how she would fix the issue with her superior abilities.

Claude was sure he was going to piss himself from laughing so hard.

**Where are my friends?**

Dimitri looked around the ball. There was a lack of his childhood friends. He wasn’t sure where they could have gone but they certainly weren’t here. He went up to different groups of people asking if anyone had seen them. They all shook their heads with a no.

Eventually he found himself approaching some of the Golden Deers. Leonie, Raphael, Lysithea, and Marianne stood together conversing. Dimitri cleared his throat and the group turned to him. “Excuse me, but have any of you seen Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix?”

Leonie tilted her head. “I saw Ingrid eating a bunch of food with a group before but-”

Raphael sighed. “They cut us off! I didn’t get my fill yet!”

“Raphael you ate half of the food!” Leonie gently flicked her hand against his arm. “You with Caspar and Ingrid around food is a dangerous combination.”

Lysithea shook her head. “The chef even cut me off from the desserts! I didn’t get to try all the cakes yet!” Leonie now turned her head to look at her with bewilderment.

Dimitri found himself astonished by the news. “So you don’t know where they are?” The three shook their heads.

“Um…” Marianne shifted a bit. “I- I think I know where they are…”

“You do?” Dimitri perked up at the news.

“I’m not sure if I’m right but…” She paused thinking about it.

“Do you mind taking me there?”

“Hm?” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “I suppose I could…”

Dimitri bowed. “Thank you Marianne.”

Marianne began to walk towards the doors of the hall. Dimitri bowed to the group and turned to follow her. From behind he could hear the three talk about the food. Leonie let out an exasperated sigh because of the two.

As they made their way out of the ball, the two silently walked side by side. Dimitri fidgeted a bit. Finally Marianne spoke up. “I’m sorry… I’m not very good at talking…”

“It’s not an issue. If you wish, we can continue walking in silence.” Dimitri wasn’t really sure what to say either.

“You… You don’t feel uncomfortable with silence?” She kept her eyes on the ground.

Dimitri shook his head. “Not particularly. If anything I apologize for asking you to take me to my friends. I’m sure you wanted to stay at the ball.”

Marianne shook her head this time. “I was getting tired anyways… Plus Hilda left so it’s not like I have anyone to be with at the ball…”

“Oh well I still apologize for burdening you with this task.”

“I- I don’t mind…” She lowered her head a bit more. There was a glimpse of pink blushing across her cheeks.

Dimitri looked back up to see they were headed towards the dorms. “Are they up in their rooms?”

Marianne finally lifted her head as she walked up the stairs. “Hilda told me that she and a few people were going to Sylvain’s room.” Dimitri nodded at what she said. He was pretty sure he knew what was happening now.

The two walked up each flight of small stairs all the way to the end of the hall. There was silence. Dimitri quickened his pace to reach Sylvain’s door. Then he knocked. “Sylvain?” Silence. “Sylvain are you there?” More silence. Dimitri turned to Marianne. “Are you sure they are here?”

Marianne’s brows furrowed together. “I thought they would be there…”

Dimitri frowned. He turned back to the door and grabbed the handles. Before he could push the doors open, a loud sensuous moan came from the room. He jumped back from the door and turned away. Marianne was covering her bright red face with her hands. “M-my apologies we should get going.” He was pretty sure he was the same shade of red as her.

The two quickly shuffled down the hall away from Sylvain’s room. Marianne still had her face covered as she walked past her room and back down to the first floor. Once outside she took in a deep breath. Her hands were now cupping her cheeks. Dimitri took a second to calm himself before speaking. “I truly deeply apologize for this.”

Marianne didn’t say anything as she continued to take in the fresh air. She was still quite red. “It’s alright. It’s not your fault.”

In some way he felt that it was. He had known Sylvain all his life. This was something he should have expected. “Would you like me to take you back to the ball or-”

“I think I will take a short walk before going back to my room.” Without waiting for Dimitri, she began to walk off.

It took just a few long strides to catch up to her. He wasn’t going to let her walk around alone at night. They walked around for a bit in silence. Dimitri looked down to see Marianne keeping her eyes on the ground. Then she shivered. Without hesitation, he took off his cape and draped it around her shoulders.

Marianne jumped a little from the action. She pulled the cape around her, turning her head to face away from him. “Thank you…”

“You’re welcome.” Dimitri found himself turning away as well.

The two continued walking pink in the face.

**Whoops**

Hilda groaned as light came through the window. She slowly blinked her eyes open. Upon seeing she was cuddled up against Claude, she almost yelped. What happened and why was she here?

Before getting out of bed, she took this chance to study Claude’s face up close. Seeing him not force a neutral expression was new. Refreshing. Hilda’s eyes travelled from his brows down his nose to his lips. For some reason she found her hand moving up to touch his face.

Then Claude’s brows furrowed together as he began to stir. His eyes blinked open to a groggy squint. Hilda’s hand was just centimeters from his face. In fact her face was just centimeters away from his. Hilda nervously giggled then scrambled out of bed. She grabbed her boots and jacket and dashed out of his room.

Claude slapped around the bed to grab his blanket and cover himself. He rolled over onto his stomach to bury his face into the pillow.

Hilda burst into her room and threw herself into her bed, burying her face into the pillow.

They both screamed into their pillows.


End file.
